A vote counting machine. (Contributed photo)
CEBU CITY – The police on Thursday reminded residents here of the Commission on Elections (Comelec)-imposed liquor ban starting on Sunday until the end of the election day on Monday next week, warning them that the mere smell of any intoxicating alcohol could put them into trouble.
Lt. Col. Ma. Theresa Macatangay, Cebu City Police Office’s information officer, said Comelec Resolution No. 10746 promulgated on Dec. 16, 2021 imposes imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years without probation to any persons who will violate the liquor ban.
“Under the law, any person who sells, furnishes, offers, buys, serves, or takes intoxicating liquor on the day fixed by law, which is on the day before the election and until the election day is finished, will face such punishment,” she said in a press briefing.
She urged establishments serving beer and wine, especially night bars and beer joints, to remove bottles of alcoholic drinks from their display shelves to prevent their patrons from being tempted to drink during the duration of the liquor ban.
“Not necessarily that if you smell alcohol, you will get arrested right away. The police have to investigate. If you are found to have taken anything intoxicating, and your mouth smells alcohol, you will be facing an arrest,” Macatangay said in a mix of English and Cebuano.
She also said she is glad to report that as of Thursday, the city police has received no single report of vote-buying while she expressed hopes the situation will be sustained until the election day.
“In case there’s vote-buying, the initial steps a police officer will do is to report to the respective election supervisors the details like the personalities involved,” she said, adding that it is the Comelec that will guide the cops on the ground “on the proper way to do things”.
Although it is a difficult task to effect an outright arrest of a person involved in alleged vote-buying, the police will closely work with the Comelec in case they will encounter the same.
Macatangay said there must be hard evidence to support any claims of vote-buying, and such must be proven in court.
Meanwhile, the Comelec in this city conducted on Thursday the final testing and sealing of vote counting machines (VCMs) in different schools here.
Marilou Paredes, Comelec-Cebu City South District election officer, said they encountered minor hitches in the testing of VCMs deployed to some polling centers, but these were already addressed.
Paredes said poll watchers, electoral board members, and election workers attended the testing and sealing activity.
The Comelec has distributed at least 944 VCMs across Cebu City as of Thursday. (PNA)
