THE COMMISSION on Elections on Friday said that it will not allow the replacement of electoral board members in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for the May 9 polls.

Comelec Commissioner George Garcia issued the statement after more than 200 public school teachers protested their removal as electoral board members in Cotabato City.

Garcia said that only teachers who obtained a certification from the Department of Science and Technology can render election duty.

“Hindi namin po papayagan sapagkat napakaimportante ‘yun pong mga guro na atin pong naitalaga na bilang mga electoral board sa buong Pilipinas iyan po ay na-train,” he said.

On Thursday, Cotabato City Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi claimed that the office of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education first replaced the superintendent before removing the teachers.

“Nagsalita ‘yung mga guro dahil ang sabi nila iyang ipapalit ninyo sa amin na mga Islamic teachers walang training iyan. Hindi iyan naisyuhan ng DOST certificate na nagpapatunay na qualified sila maging member,” Guiani-Sayadi said.