A Commission on Elections (Comelec) employee who blew the whistle on the overpriced ballot secrecy folders contract and other irregular deals in Comelec is seeking sanctuary among nuns, similar to the fate of NBN-ZTE whistleblower Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada Jr.
Atty. Melchor Magdamo, who is assigned to the office of Comelec Chairman Jose Melo, visited Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines co-chairman Mary John Mananzan to seek spiritual guidance and sanctuary after exposing the botched P700-million ballot secrecy folder deal. He was accompanied by Dr. Arwind Serrano of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting.
"My wife is asking me to request for sanctuary. Maliliit pa kasi mga anak ko," he told ABS-CBN News.
Magdamo earlier tipped off Serrano about the overpriced secrecy folders, which were priced at P380 each. The Comelec later placed the P690-million supply contract with OTC Paper Supply on hold because of the high price of the folders.
Magdamo also revealed that OTC Paper Supply bagged a Comelec contract to supply registration-record (VRR) binders and plastic fillers for the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao election in 2008.
The lawyer said he requested the poll body to remove Comelec Executive Director Jose Tolentino to prevent the official from committing sabotage on the May 10 elections.
No sanctions vs Comelec officers
Tolentino, the former Comelec bids and awards committee chairman, pushed through with the bidding of the 2008 VRR contract despite a Comelec decision to stop the bidding. Tolentino also presented the proposed design of the ballot secrecy folder to the Comelec.
Instead of suspending Tolentino, the Comelec extended the poll official's term as chief of the poll body's project management office until the end of the elections. The poll body also extended the terms of the BAC members who awarded the secrecy folder contract to OTC Paper Supply.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said BAC members cannot be sanctioned until an investigation is finished. "Ang importante nandiyan sila. Nababantayan naman. Yung pangamba na baka gamtin ang posisyon para impluwensyahan yung outcome ng probe, hindi mangyayari. Bantay sarado sila," he said.
The Comelec also criticized Magdamo for going to the media with his story instead of waiting for the poll body to finish with its investigation.
The religious order, meanwhile, said it is open to Magdamo's request that his family receive sanctuary among nuns. Sister Mananzan said the Comelec lawyer should take courage from the fact that he is doing the right thing.
"You are doing the right thing. I'm telling you. You have chosen the right path. It is a difficult path but it's the right path. That should keep your courage. Dapat katatagan ng loob dahil ang ginagawa mo ay tama," she said.
For his part, Magdamo said he does not expect to receive any reward for exposing alleged irregularities inside the Comelec. He said he made the disclosures to show that any person, no matter how small, can be an instrument for change.
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