COMELEC deputizes BHERT, Tanods, brgy officials

DAVAO DEL NORTE, March 25 (PIA) -- Members of the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT) have a role to play during election campaign  period, together with the barangay officials and barangay tanods.

Under Rule VII Section 25 of COMELEC Resolution 10732 on Monitoring and Implementation, COMELEC designates authority  to “Barangay Officials, Tanods and Members of BHERT to impose strict observance with Minimum Public Health Standards during the conduct of election campaign activities.”

“Dahil nga pandemic, may mga restrictions tayo in  the conduct of the COMELEC  campaign activities. Sila po ‘yong makakatulong sa atin (Due to the pandemic, we have restrictions in the conduct of COMELEC campaign activities.  They are the one who can help us) in monitoring the compliance of minimum public health standards), ”  said Atty Emilie Camaganacan, provincial election supervisor of COMELEC Davao del Norte during her guesting at Kapihan sa DavNor.

Atty. Camaganacan explained that COMELEC election officers have coordinated with the barangays, conducted meetings with barangay officials, Tanods and BHERT members, and have come up with the necessary means of identifying barangay level deputized functionaries.

She assured that  the barangay functionaries and barangay officials have a standard way of complying with the “reportorial requirements” set  forth in the COMELEC  Resolution 10732 that they will be submitting to the election officers at the municipal and city levels. 

“They are required to submit report every after election campaign  activity, especially those who are assigned to monitor the event in their barangay,” Atty Camaganacan said. 

Aside from the barangay functionaries and barangay officials as the new set of deputized individuals, COMELEC sustains  its deputization of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines “to maintain order and security during the conduct of election campaign activities.”

In Davao del Norte, Atty Camaganacan said that COMELEC has also deputized the Philippine Coast Guard to  serve in transporting election paraphernalia to islands which are part of Davao del Norte.

Other deputized agencies are the Department of Education (DEPED) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), among others.  (PIA XI/ Jeanevive Duron Abangan)