Resolution No. 2739 of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Promulgated on January 3, 1995, Regarding the Deputation of Certain National and Local Officials or Employees, Prescribing Their Duties and Functions as Deputies of the COMELEC

March 17, 1995 DOF DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 025-95 SUBJECT : Resolution No. 2739 of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Promulgated on January 3, 1995, Regarding the Deputation of Certain National and Local Officials or Employees, Prescribing Their Duties and Functions as Deputies of the COMELEC TO : All BLGF Regional Directors; Provincial, City and Municipal Treasurers; and Others Concerned For the information and guidance of all concerned, quoted hereunder are Excerpts of Resolution No. 2739, particularly No. 2 thereof. "2. DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE "The Secretary of Finance is hereby deputized to enforce and implement the following duties and functions: '2.1 During the election period, all Provincial, City and Municipal Treasurers shall remain in their present assignments and shall not be transferred or detailed, whether temporarily or permanently, to another province, city or municipality, except upon previous authority of the Commission. '2.2 Provincial, City and Municipal Treasurers shall not absent themselves from office during the period starting two weeks before and two weeks after election day except upon prior approval of the Commission. He shall at all times assign a responsible person in his office to receive telegrams and instructions from the Commission relative to election matters to ensure immediate action thereon. '2.3 Duties and responsibilities of City/Municipal Treasurers 'a) All City/Municipal Treasurers shall in coordination with the Election Officer be jointly responsible for the preservation, custody and storage of election forms, ballot boxes, paraphernalia, supplies and materials as are entrusted to them and for any loss, destruction, impairment or damage thereof.' 'b) All City/Municipal Treasurers shall respectively keep a record of the quantity and serial numbers of official ballots, election returns and ballot boxes allocated for distribution to the various precincts in their respective jurisdictions and shall furnish legible copies of such record to the candidates, the election officer and the Election Records and Statistics Department, Commission on Elections, Manila, immediately after distribution. cSEDTC 'c) The official ballots, election returns and ballot boxes shall not be delivered to the boards of election inspectors earlier than the first hour on election day. However, the Commission upon the request of the city/municipal election officers, and upon the recommendation of the Deputy Executive Director for Operations or Director of the Election and Barangay Affairs Department, may authorize the city/municipal treasurers, for reasons such as, but not limited to distance and weather condition in the locality and difficulty of transportation, number of precincts in a city or municipality, and prevailing peace and order, to deliver said official and sample official ballots, election returns, ballot boxes and other forms, materials and supplies to the boards of election inspectors of any particular precinct at an advance date but not earlier than three (3) days before election day with written notice to all the candidates concerned and the Commission on Elections. (underlining supplied) 'IN EVERY CASE, THE DISTRIBUTION OF OFFICIAL BALLOTS, ELECTION RETURNS AND OTHER FORMS AND BALLOT BOXES BY THE CITY/MUNICIPAL TREASURERS SHALL BE SUPERVISED BY THE CITY/MUNICIPAL ELECTION OFFICERS. 'The Board of Election Inspectors shall issue the proper receipt stating clearly the date, the number of sets and the corresponding quantity and serial numbers of the official ballots, election returns and ballot boxes. The Election Registrar and City/Municipal Treasurer shall submit a joint written report within five days after election day to the Election Records and Statistics Department, Commission on Elections, Manila, of the quantity and serial numbers of the issued official ballots, election returns and ballot boxes. Any candidate shall be furnished copies thereof upon written request. 'd) The official ballots, election returns and ballot boxes shall be distributed to the board of election inspectors in the presence of duly designated watchers if available. 'e) Upon receipt and acknowledgement thereof by the boards of election inspectors, the official ballots and election returns shall be placed inside the ballot box which shall be locked with three padlocks in the presence of the city/municipal treasurer. The chairmen and the members of the board of inspectors shall each keep one key to the padlocks. "2.4 The City/Municipal Treasurer shall submit to the election officer an official report on ballot boxes which were not returned to him by the boards of election inspectors immediately after its adjournment. The Election Records and Statistics Department, Commission on Elections, Manila, shall be furnished with a copy of said report." Accordingly, all City and Municipal Treasurers are hereby directed to strictly observe and comply with the foregoing instructions, to adopt such measures as may be necessary to ensure the proper and prompt implementation thereof, and to extend full support and assistance to the COMELEC and its officials or representatives in the conduct of the May 8, 1995 elections. Any infraction or violation of the aforequoted provisions of COMELEC Resolution No. 2739 shall constitute sufficient ground for administrative disciplinary action. Therefore, all City and Municipal Treasurers are hereby enjoined to cooperate in full in the overall efforts to conduct peaceful and orderly election activities. The Regional Directors of BLGF and District Treasurers of Metropolitan Manila are hereby instructed to disseminate the contents of this Department Order to all Provincial, City and Municipal Treasurers within their respective jurisdictions for their information, guidance and compliance. By authority of the Secretary: (SGD.) JUANITA D. AMATONG Undersecretary