Organizations of public school teachers in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental are asking the Commission on Election to resolve the case of election offense filed against the 27 Inspectors of the Board of Election in the 2004 election.

The members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Negros and the Association of Classroom Teachers of Bacolod are asking the Comelec for a dialog in order to resolve before May 14, the case filed against the 27 BEI's by former Mayor Luzviminda Valdez, which has been pending for three years now. The 27 teachers have been barred from serving in the May 2007 election. The group will also launch a Teacher's Election Hotline on May 14 that will serve as a quick response center against harassments and threats against teachers serving in the election.

They are also asking the Comelec if it is willing to shoulder the expenses if cases are filed against the teachers.

Bacolod election officer Mavil Majarucon said Comelec Manila has already signed a memorandum with the Public Attorney's Office. She said the PAO will provide teachers serving in the election legal assistance if cases will be filed against them. Bing Dajao, ACTBA secretary, said they are asking Comelec to clear the 27 teachers before the election since the integrity of the election lies in the integrity of the teachers.

Corazon Semillano, ACTBA adviser, said that, if given a choice, the teachers no longer want to serve in the election after what happened to the 27 BEI's in 2004. If, indeed, there was fraud as alleged, why did the watchers of the losing candidates not call the attention of the teachers right away? She asked. The teachers will not allow their reputation marred and whatever happened was an unintentional mistake, she added.

Gilda Quiachon, ACT-Negros chairperson, said that, although the teachers do not want to serve in the election, they have no choice since it is a call of duty. The mistakes committed by the teachers are human error. However, the losing candidates cannot accept their fate and put the blame on the teachers, she said.

Ramon Espinosa, ACTBA PIO, said that if there is a politician who wants to take revenge on the teachers, they are ready to fight legally. Three of the 27 BEI's attended the press conference yesterday.

Desiree Fabros of the Department of Education, Maita Rafael of the Mandalagan Elementary School and Marilou Palomar of Mabini Elementary School said what happened was an honest mistake and that they were not aware of it until a case was filed against them. They said Councilor Dindo Ramos provided them legal assistance while Bacolod School Superintendent Milagros Gonzales gave them advice.

Gelangre said they are appealing to one of the candidates, who is asking the parents if their students have been provided notebooks by the city, and making them believe that the money was all spent on the Emergency Cost of Living Allowance of the teachers.

He said they are calling on the public to be vigilant in order to ensure a clean and honest the election. He also assured the public that there will be no cheating in the level of the BEI's.*CGS

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