• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Lawyer Jonna Cabanilla has resigned as election officer of Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental effective the middle of January this year after two years of serving the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Provincial Elections Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria yesterday confirmed the resignation of Cabanilla due to personal reasons.
Cabanilla and Himamaylan City election officer Romeo Palma are being investigated by the Comelec for the hiring of support staff during the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in October last year, an act not included in Comelec Resolution Number 10924.
Ananoria said that Cabanilla personally paid P2,000 to each of the 660 support staff, who had rendered poll duties in Kabankalan City.
The support staff were supposed to be paid P5,500 each.
The decision on the remaining amount is still pending with the Comelec en banc, Ananoria said.
A total of 211 Comelec support staff were hired in Himamaylan City and the investigation on the unauthorized hiring is also ongoing, he added.
Ananoria said that the Comelec will no longer go after Cabanilla in administrative aspect, but will still pursue a civil case against her.
Being the senior election assistant, Anna Liza Edral took over the position vacated by Cabanilla.
Ananoria also said that lawyers Keinth Horario and Johnnie Lou Darigan-De la Cerna were designated as election officers of Himamaylan City and La Carlota City, respectively, both in permanent status. | GB
