MANILA, Philippines – Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez confirmed on Friday, December 1, that the poll body is facing eviction from its headquarters in Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila.

Jimenez said the eviction notice came from the Intramuros Administration.

The Comelec rents 3 floors of the Palacio del Gobernador, as well as part of the ground floor for its Project Management Office.

The Intramuros Administration cited “structural integrity” for planning to evict Comelec from Palacio del Gobernador.

Jimenez said that the Comelec personnel department, “easily the largest Comelec presence in the Palacio,” will be ready to move to the nearby Shipping Center Building in Intramuros by the end of 2017.

“The need to vacate the Palacio del Gobernador has been the subject of the Comelec’s attention for quite some time now,” Jimenez said.

He noted that in early 2017, the Comelec entered into a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Public Works and Highways “for the design and construction” of the planned new Comelec building.

“In the meantime, the appropriate departments within the Commission have been working to secure new spaces and working areas – for instance, the renovation of several floors of the Crystal Shipping Center building,” he said.

Cause for alarm?

Jimenez also addressed concerns by election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, as quoted by the Philippine Star, that “this is a cause for alarm.”

Macalintal reportedly cited the “ongoing decryption of ballots” from 2,700 election precincts in relation to the election protest filed by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr against Vice President Leni Robredo.

“There is also a need to notify all parties before any document related to pending electoral case can be transferred,” Macalintal was quoted as saying.

Reacting to this, Jimenez on Friday clarified that “there is no cause for alarm.”

“The Comelec has always been very careful to observe all requirements relating to the preservation of documents in its care, to the giving of due notice to the parties, and to the protection of the people’s sovereign vote. A simple transfer of offices will not be a reason for any of that to change,” Jimenez said.

“When the time comes for the Comelec to move, the public can be assured that the transfer will be accomplished smoothly and with all protections given to the contending parties, intact,” he added.

The planned eviction of the Comelec comes as Commissioner Sheriff Abas is set to head the poll body. 

Quoted by the Philippine Star, election lawyer George Garcia said, “Besides other issues, one of his biggest problems is that he will become the chairman of a commission without a home.” – Rappler.com