Provincial election supervisor Lintang Bedol, the suspected key operator in Maguindanao in the 2007 polls, has been ordered dismissed and perpetually barred from holding any government post by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The Comelec en banc, in its 12-page resolution, said Bedol failed to “live up to the norms of conduct required of a public officer to exercise the highest degree of professionalism and commitment to public service” when he failed to submit the municipal certificate of canvass (MCOC), election returns (ER), statement of votes and summary statement of votes (SSOV) in the province of Maguindanao during the May, 2007 elections.

“Premises considered, Atty. Lintang Bedol is hereby dismissed from the service and is perpetually barred from re-employment in the government service,” the February 9 ruling read.

“His unabashed infraction of his duties and cavalier demeanor make him notoriously undesirable. His misconduct, misfeasance, malfeasance has a direct relation to and connected with the performance of official duties amounting either to mal-administration or willful, intentional neglect and failure to discharge duties of the office; thus, warranting his dismissal from the service,” the decision further read.

Comelec Commissioner Lucenito Tagle said Bedol violated Article 226 of the Revised Penal Code which merits a criminal sanction.

Article 226 penalizes a public officer who removes, destroys, or conceals documents or papers officially entrusted to him.

“The commission through the law department will file criminal case against Bedol in violation of Article 226 of the Revised Penal Code. This will be another case and on top of the cases filed against him,” Tagle said.

Last Wednesday, the Comelec also announced that it will be reshuffling its field personnel, including the so-called “Garci Boys” for the May 10 polls to preserve the integrity of the commission.

“We are looking at reshuffling of Comelec officials all over the country without any specific target. We are just looking at the personnel.  There are some personnel, like for example there are some election officer who have been in the station for more than four years and under the law there are supposed to be resigned,” Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said.

“This includes people who have a link to that alleged Garci case and officials who have no links,” he added. Larrazabal, however, declined to give the date of the reshuffle of the officials so as not to preempt the en banc.