Cops address long queue of voter registrants

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – Police Major Ramel Sarona, head of Police Station 1, proposed to schedule by batch the registration of voters at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) here following an accident involving a media personality last Monday.

Sarona said Adrian Prietos, one of the anchors of GMA Regional TV’s One Western Visayas, was covering the voter’s registration by the roadside when he was sideswiped by a passenger jeepney.

Prietos injured his head after he was hit by the jeepney’s side mirror while walking on the roadside. He was given immediate medical assistance and later taken to a hospital.

Sarona said Prietos did not pursue charges against the jeepney driver who was already released from detention.

Sarona said he made the proposal with the Comelec, but they refused as they are implementing a first come-first serve policy at their office.

“Nag ayo ko tani na from Monday to Wednesday, i-accommodate like 300 people para indi na magbalik-balik, galing indi sila, kay may policy sila,” he said.

To address the situation and to avoid a similar accident, Sarona decided to adjust the line and have the registrants line up on the gutter side of the road.

“Indi na sila sa kilid dalan gid, kay ka delikado,” he added.

Sarona said four police officers were deployed to assist the registrants and to ensure the strict implementation of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) health protocols.

Sarona said the Comelec can only accommodate at least 150 individuals per day.

For Prietos, he is hoping that the Comelec will find a new location for the registrants to avoid the same incident.

Prietos said that there’s an available space where the line can start from the flower vendors’ area.

The parking spaces in front of Bays Center towards Police Station 1 can also be cleared to keep the voters away from the busy street.

“Let us not wait for another person to get hit, and if without luck, die in the process of trying to participate in the May 2022 elections,” he added.