BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Lawyer Ian Lee Ananoria is back in Negros Occidental as the new acting provincial Comelec supervisor effective September 30.
Ananoria yesterday replaced Atty. Maria Fatima Aspan, who returned to her previous position as Election Officer of Victorias City.
Prior to his new appointment, Ananoria served as the provincial Comelec supervisor of Antique.
During the May 2016 elections, Ananoria also served as acting provincial Comelec supervisor of Negros Occidental.
Aspan became controversial after Mayor Evelio Leonardia earlier sought her inhibition from occupying the position as acting Bacolod City Election Officer, to supervise the voter registration, after some of the COMELEC-Bacolod staff placed under isolation for COVID-19.
Leonardia has expressed alarm over the sudden and extremely unusual influx of transferee-registrants from other towns and cities in Negros Occidental at the Bacolod COMELEC office.
He questioned the impartiality of Aspan, who had served as election officer of Victorias City, which belongs to the province’s Third District, where Alfredo Benitez, who had served as a three-term congressman, has declared his intention to run as mayor of Bacolod City.
Aspan yesterday explained that her return to her former position as Election Officer of Victorias City, Negros Occidental, formed part of the normal reshuffling being implemented by the COMELEC, as the election period nears.
Comelec-Western Visayas assistant regional director Tomas Valera clarified that Aspan took over the position as acting provincial Comelec supervisor, following the retirement of Atty. Jessie Suarez.
Valera said that Ananoria will occupy the position in an acting capacity.*
