Commissioner Aimee Ferolino-Ampoloquio. (Photo from PNA)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Comelec Commissioner Ferolino-Ampoloquio, who had stint as a Comelec official in Davao City, had once called teachers serving in 2013 elections as “stupid” over PCOS glitches.
Recently, Ferolino who also is in the center of a firestorm for junking the disqualification bid of presidential candidate Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. have made lawyers, analysts, and even former Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Henares questioned her statement that failure to pay taxes is not a crime.
Such controversial position is nothing new to Ferolino. As a Comelec Officer for Davao City’s first district in 2013, she earned the ire of public school teachers serving the elections by calling them “stupid.”
Ferolino made that remark to reporters who covered final testing and sealing of the automated counting machines. At that time, automated machines were being used for the second time since 2010.
“Either limtanon kaayo or bugok jud sila (Either they are forgetful or just plain stupid),” she told reporters.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Davao took the cudgels of teachers who felt slighted, as they point out Comelec should solve its glitches using the Smartmatic machines and provide more technical guidance to teachers.
The watchdog Kontra Daya did report glitches during the testing.
They also took called out Ferolino for her remarks as unethical and demeaning. Ferolino was recently transferred to Davao after her stint as election officer in Davao del Sur.
One of the teachers, Marydel Enanoria, at Nograles National High School complained that technical problems delayed her during the final testing as the voting machine did not come with paper and plastic seals.
Even the spokesperson of the Department of Education (DepEd) Davao Region said Ferolino’s statement was “disheartening” for teachers who had to fulfill their duty and would destroy the credibility of teachers to the voting public.
ACT Davao led a picket of teachers who demanded a public apology from Ampoloquio.
EDUCATORS’ RAGE. Teachers from various schools in Davao City picket outside the Commission on Elections-XI office Thursday demanding for a public apology from lawyer Aimee Ferolino-Ampoloquio following her statement that Board of Election Inspectors are “either forgetful or plain stupid.” Retired teacher Teresita Abundo who served the elections during her 38 years of service told Ampoloquio to be responsible with her statements since, “You don’t know what our sacrifices are.” (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)
But during a meeting with DepEd and fellow Comelec officers, Ferolino walked out, saying that the media interviews were spliced. Her boss, lawyer Wilfred Jay Balisado, Comelec-XI Director, had to apologize on her behalf for her statement.
On the actual day of the 2013 elections, glitches in the transmission of election results in some areas did happen. The canvassing that night was called off after Ferolino, who chaired the Board of Canvassers, had to be brought to an ambulance because her blood pressure shot up.
davaotoday.com file photo
After this stint, Ferolino was next assigned as provincial election officer in Davao del Norte. In November 2020, she was appointed by President Rodrigo as ad interim commissioner with a term that will end on February 2, 2027.
She is one of the four Comelec commissioners with ties to Davao City.
Interestingly, opinion writer Antonio Montalvan pointed out, her credentials had never included her stint in Davao City.
Was it to cover up her conflict with public school teachers or to hide conflict of interest for her past in Davao City? (davaotoday.com)
