MANILA, Philippines — Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon dared Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Juan Andres Bautista to run the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections by himself.
"It’s about time that Chairman Bautista runs the elections. You know, it’s better that he does it all by himself because you can give credit where credit is due," Guanzon said in a televised interview. Commissioners Guanzon, Christian Robert Lim and Luie Guia have decided to boycott the two upcoming polls.
Guanzon claimed that Bautista passed on some of his responsibilities as Comelec chief to other commissioners.
In an interview with radio dzBB, Guanzon said that Bautista can manage the barangay polls by himself as it would only require human resource management.
Guanzon: Poll chief should have 'appropriate attitude'
Guanzon, however, noted that Bautista should have the "appropriate attitude" of a Comelec chairman.
"Ang stance niya ganito, 'Ako chairman dito. Ako ang boss. Bakit ako hihingi ng authority sa kanila?' Ang isyu lang, dapat tanggapin ni (Chairman Bautista) na collegial body kami," Guanzon said.
She added that Bautista left for Japan without the Comelec en banc's travel authority, which is against the poll body's rules.
"Ayaw ni Commissioner Christian Lim na pumirma ng travel authority niya. Sabi ni Commissioner Lim, dapat en banc na ang nagpipirma ng kanyang travel authority, kaya umalis siya nang hindi nagpaalam kasi ayaw niya na humingi sa amin ng authority," Guanzon said.
Despite the claims of all six Comelec commissioners of "failure of leadership," Bautista insisted that he will not resign from his post.
"I am not thinking of leaving my post at this point in time at all because I did not do anything wrong. The past election is a clear proof that the Comelec can hold an orderly, successful, and peaceful election," Bautista said in an interview aired on television.