Resolution No. 9401

The Commission on Elections, pursuant to the powers vested in it by the Constitution, Republic Acts No. 6646 and 7166, the Omnibus Election Code and other election laws, RESOLVED to promulgate, as it hereby RESOLVES to promulgate, the following instructions for the Municipal and Provincial Boards of Canvassers in connection with the June 02, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, in the Fifth Congressional District of the Province of Negros Occidental:

Section 1. Board of Canvassers. - There shall be a Board of Canvassers in each municipality/city comprising the Fifth Legislative District of the Province of Negros Occidental, and a Provincial Board of Canvassers for the Province of Negros Occidental.

Section 2. Supervision and control. - The Commission on Elections shall have direct control and supervision over the boards of canvassers and may motu proprio relieve, for cause, at any time, any member thereof and designate the substitute.

Section 3. Municipal/City Board of Canvassers - The Municipal/City Board of Canvassers (MBOC/CBOC) shall be composed of the Election Officer or a duly authorized representative of the Commission, as Chairman, the Municipal Treasurer, in case of the MBOC, and the city prosecutor, in case of the CBOC, as Vice-Chairman; and the District School Supervisor, or in his absence, the most senior Principal of the school district, in case of the MBOC, and the city superintendent of schools, in case of the CBOC, as Member.

Section 4. Provincial Board of Canvassers. - The Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) shall be composed of the Provincial Election Supervisor or a lawyer of the Commission, as Chairman, the Provincial Prosecutor as Vice-Chairman and the District School Superintendent, as Member.

Section 5. Substitution of Chairman and Members of the Boards of Canvassers.- In case of non-availability, absence, disqualification due to relationship or incapacity for any cause of the chairman, the Commission shall appoint as substitute, a ranking lawyer of the Commission in the case of PBOC/CBOC or an official of the Commission in the case of MBOC.

With respect to the other members of the board, the Commission shall appoint as substitute the following in the order named: the Provincial Auditor, the Register of Deeds, the Clerk of Court nominated by the Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Court, and any other available appointive provincial official, in the case of PBOC; the officials in the city corresponding to those enumerated, in the case of the CBOC, and the Municipal Administrator, the Municipal Assessor, the Clerk of Court nominated by the Executive Judge or any other available appointive municipal official, in the case of the MBOC.

The authority to appoint a substitute of the Chairman and members of the boards shall be vested in the following:

1. Regional Election Director of Region VI, for the PBOC of Negros Occidental; and
2. Provincial Election Supervisor of Negros Occidental, for the MBOC/CBOC.

The Regional Election Director or the Provincial Election Supervisor, as the case may be, shall, within twenty-four (24) hours from issuance of the appointment of a substitute, inform in writing the Office of the Executive Director of the Commission of such appointment and the reason for such substitution.

Section 6. Secretary of the Boards.- The district school supervisor or the principal, the city superintendent of schools, and the provincial superintendent of schools, as the case may be, shall act as secretary of their respective Board of Canvassers unless otherwise ordered by the Commission. Each shall keep the minutes and record the proceedings of the board and such other incidents or matters relevant to the canvass.

Section 7. Notice of meetings of the board.- Not later than 28 May 2012, the Chairman of the board shall give written notice to all members thereof and to each candidate and political party fielding candidates in the special elections, of the date, time and place of the canvassing which shall be held, unless otherwise ordered by the Commission, in the session hall of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, in the case of the PBOC, or Sangguniang Bayan/Sannguniang Panglungsod, in the case of the MBOC/CBOC.

Notices of the canvassing shall be posted in the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor/Election Officer, as the case may be, and in three (3) conspicuous places in the building where the canvass will be held.

Similar notices shall also be given for subsequent meetings unless notice has been given in open session. Proof of service of notice to each member, candidate, and political party fielding candidates in the special elections shall be attached to and form part of the records of the proceedings. If notice is given in open session, such fact shall be recorded in the minutes of the proceedings.

Failure to give notice of the date, time and place of the meeting of the board is an election offense under Section 261 (aa) (1) of the Omnibus Election Code.

Section 8. Convening of the board.- The board shall meet at 6:00 o'clock in the evening of election day at the designated place to receive the election returns or the certificates of canvass, as the case may be, and to immediately canvass those that have already been received. It shall meet continuously from day to day until the canvass is completed and may adjourn only for the purpose of awaiting the other election returns or certificate of canvass.

The proceedings of the board shall be open and public.

Section 9. Absence of a regular board member.- In case of the absence of a regular board member, the member present shall first verify whether notice has been served on the absent member. In case no such notice was sent, one shall be immediately served on the absent board member. If the latter cannot be located or his whereabouts are unknown, he shall be substituted. These facts shall be recorded in the Minutes of the board. As soon as the absent member appears, the substitute member shall relinquish his seat in favor of the regular board member.

Section 10.Prohibited degree of relationship.- The Chairman and members of the board shall not be related within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to any of the candidates whose votes will be canvassed by said board, or to any member of the same board.

Section 11. Prohibition against leaving official station.- During the period beginning election day until the proclamation of the winning candidates, no member or substitute member of the different boards shall be transferred, assigned or detailed outside of his official station nor shall he leave the said station without prior authority of the Commission. Such authority may be granted by the Provincial Election Supervisor in the case of M BOC/CBOC; and by the Regional Election Director in the case of PBOC. In either case, a written report shall be submitted to the Law Department.

Section 12 Feigned Illness.- Any member of the board feigning illness in order to be substituted on election day until the proclamation of the winning candidates shall be guilty of an election offense.

Section 13. Incapacity of regular board member.- In case of sickness or serious injury of a regular board member, a medical certificate shall be required attesting to the incapacity of said member. Upon submission of the medical certificate, a substitute shall be appointed. Said medical certificate shall be recorded in and form part of the Minutes of the board.

Section 14. Quorum. - A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and a majority vote of all the members thereof shall be necessary to render a decision.

Section 15. Powers of the board.- The board shall have full authority to keep order within the canvassing room or hall and its premises and enforce obedience to its lawful orders. If any person refuses to obey any lawful order of the board or shall conduct himself in a disorderly manner as to disturb or interrupt its proceedings, the board may order any peace officer to take such person into custody until adjournment of the meeting. In the absence of any peace officer, any other competent and able person deputized by the board in writing, may execute such order.

Section 16. Right to be present and to counsel during the canvass. - Every candidate has the right to be present and to counsel during the canvass: provided, that, only one (1) counsel may argue for each candidate. They shall have the right to examine the returns or certificates being canvassed without touching them, make observations thereon, and file their challenges in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission. No dilatory action shall be allowed by the board.

Section 17. Watchers.- Every candidate shall be entitled to two (2) watchers, to serve alternately, in every canvassing center.

The citizens' arm of the Commission, and civic, religious, professional, business, service, youth and other similar organizations collectively, with prior authority of the Commission, shall each be entitled to two (2) watchers to serve alternately.

A person convicted by final judgment of any election offense or any other crime, or related to any member of the canvassing board within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, shall not be appointed as watchers.

A watcher must know how to read and write Filipino, English, or any of the prevailing local dialects.

Under no circumstance shall barangay officials including barangay tanods be appointed as watchers.

The watchers shall have the right to:

1. Be present at, and take note of, all the proceedings of the board;
2. Stay behind the Chairman of the board, near enough to be able to read the election returns/certificates of canvass without touching them; and
3. File a protest against any irregularity noted in the election returns/ certificate of canvass and get from the board a resolution thereon in writing.

Watchers shall not be allowed to participate in the deliberations of the board.

Section 18. Persons not allowed inside the canvassing room.- During the canvassing, it shall be unlawful for any of the following to enter the room where the canvass is being held or to stay within a radius of fifty (50) meters from such room:

1. Any officer or member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines;
2. Any officer or member of the Philippine National Police;
3. Any peace officer or any armed or unarmed person belonging to an extra-legal police agency, special forces, strike forces, or civilian armed forces geographical units;
4. Any barangay tanod or any member of the barangay self-defense units;
5. Any member of the security or police organizations of government agencies, commissions, councils, bureaus, offices,
   instrumentalities, or government-owned or controlled corporations or their subsidiaries; or
6. Any member of a privately-owned or operated security, investigative, protective or intelligence agency performing identical or similar functions.

Whenever necessary, however, the board, by majority vote, may direct in writing the detail of policemen or peace officers for their protection or for the protection of the election documents and paraphernalia, or for the maintenance of peace and order, in which case said policemen or peace officers, who shall be in proper uniform, shall stay outside the room but near enough to be easily called by the board at any time.

Section 19. Safekeeping of transmitted election returns or certificates of canvass received from the Board of Election Inspectors.- The board shall place the election returns/certificates of canvass received from the Board of Election Inspectors/MBOCs/CBOC in ballot boxes which shall be locked with three padlocks.

The three keys to the padlock shall each be kept by the members of the board.

The said ballot boxes shall be kept in a safe and secured room before, duringand after the canvass. The door to the room shall be locked with three padlocks with the keys thereof kept by each of the members of the board.

The watchers shall have the right to guard the room.

Section 20. Tabulators.- The Board shall have a set of two (2) tabulators to assist in the canvassing. The tabulators shall be under the direct supervision and control of the board. The names of each tabulator and the serial number of the Statement of Votes assigned to them for use in the tabulation of votes shall be properly recorded in the Minutes of Canvass of the board. In no case shall a casual employee be appointed/designated as tabulator, nor shall an employee/official of local government units, except those from the Office of the Municipal/City Treasurer and those enumerated in Section 5 hereof, be appointed/designated thereto.

Section 21. Canvassing procedures.- The board shall comply with the following procedures:

1. The secretary of the PBOC/MBOC/CBOC shall, upon receipt of the ballot boxes, record in the Minutes of Canvass the
   conditions and serial numbers thereof, and forward the ballot boxes to the Chairman;
2. The Board shall open, one at a time, the ballot boxes, retrieve the envelopes containing the election returns/certificates of canvass and direct the Secretary to make an inventory by verifying whether the list of precincts/list of municipalities tally with the precinct numbers/names of the municipalities/city in the envelopes.
3. Thereafter, the Secretary shall record in the Minutes of Canvass, the total number of envelopes contained in the ballot box, the precincts/municipalities/city to which they pertain, the condition and serial number of each envelope and the paper seal attached to the envelope.
4. The Chairman shall:
   1. Announce the condition and serial number of the envelope and its paper seal;
   2. Break the paper seal of one envelope;
   3. Retrieve the election returns/certificate of canvass inside;
   4. Announce the condition and serial number of the paper seal attached to the election returns/certificate of canvass
      and direct the Secretary to record in the Minutes of Canvass the condition and serial number thereof;
   5. Break the seal of the election returns/certificate of canvass and unfold it; and
   6. Announce the precinct number/municipality/city to which the election returns/certificate of canvass pertain and
      direct the Secretary to record the condition and serial number of the election returns/certificate of canvass.
5. The board shall then proceed to examine the authenticity and due execution of the election returns/certificate of canvass and the completeness of the statistical data therein required.
6. The Chairman shall assign a Statement of Votes by Precinct/Municipality/City to be used in the canvass and, after
   the Secretary has recorded its serial number, divide the copies between the Vice-Chairman and the Secretary.
7. Chairman shall then read the votes of each candidate as they appear in the election returns/certificate of canvass. The two other members shall simultaneously record the votes of the candidates in their respective copies of the Statement of Votes by Precinct/Municipality/City as the Chairman reads them.

   For purposes of preparing the Statement of Votes, the following terms shall mean:

• Sub-total
  
  

  Sum of all votes obtained by each candidate when all the columns of a set of Statement of Votes are filled. The sub-total shall be recorded in the last column indicated in the Statement of Votes;

• Page partial total
  

  Sum of votes obtained by each candidate appearing in a set of Statement of Votes when some columns are not filled at the time of adjournment/suspension of canvass. This shall be recorded on the box immediately after the last entry of votes at the time of adjournment/suspension of canvass.

  When all election returns/certificate of canvass have been canvassed and the columns of the Statement of Votes are not filled, the page partial total shall be considered as the sub-total;

• Provisional total
  
  

  Accumulated total of all votes obtained by each candidate appearing in all accomplished sets of Statement of Votes at the time of adjournment/suspension of canvass, for the purpose of releasing results to the media and other interested parties;

• Summary of Statement of Votes
  
  

  Listing of all sub-totals reflected in each set of Statements of Votes shall be recorded in the Summary of Statement of Votes.

• Grand total
  
  

  Sum of all sub-totals of votes obtained by each candidate as listed/recorded in the Summary of Statement of Votes.

8. Immediately after the election returns/certificate of canvass has been canvassed, the Chairman shall write/mark on the
   upper right hand corner of the election returns/certificates of canvass and their corresponding envelope, the word "CANVASSED", affix his signature under it, the date and time when it was canvassed, and put the election returns/certificate of canvass inside their envelope.
9. When all the columns of a set of Statement of Votes by Precinct/Municipality/City are filled or when all the election returns/certificates of canvass of a municipality/city have been canvassed, the two members shall submit to the Chairman their copies of the Statement of Votes by Precinct/Municipality/City. The Chairman shall then divide the copies of the accomplished Statement of Votes by Precinct/Municipality/City between the Tabulators who shall then compute, using an adding machine with tape, in their respective copies, the sub-total of the: (1) number of registered voters; (2) number of voters who actually voted; and (3) the votes obtained by each candidate. Thereafter, the Tabulators shall initially record the sub-totals in a separate sheet of paper and compare whether the sub-totals are the same.
   

   If there is no discrepancy, the Tabulators shall record the sub-totals in the Statement of Votes and accomplish the certification portion intended for them in the Statement of Votes and submit the same to the board.

   If there is a discrepancy, the Tabulators shall identify such discrepancy to the Chairman, who in turn shall:

   1. announce that a correction/s will be made in a particular precinct/municipality/city;
   2. retrieve the election returns/certificate of canvass concerned;
   3. verify the entry;
   4. announce the correct entry; and
   5. direct the member who made the erroneous entry to make the proper correction in his copy of the Statement of
      Votes by Precinct/Municipality/City.

   The board shall authenticate the correction by affixing their initials immediately after the correction. The Chairman shall then return the corrected Statement of Votes to the Tabulators who shall accomplish the certification portion intended for them in the Statement of Votes and submit the same to the board.

10. For the purpose of preparing the Summary of Statement of Votes, the Chairman shall divide a set of Summary
    of Statement of Votes between the Vice- Chairman and Secretary. The Vice-Chairman and Secretary shall record in their respective copies the:
    
    1. Serial number of the Statement of Votes by Precinct/Municipality/City;
    2. Sub-totals of the number of registered voters, the voters who actually voted and votes obtained by
       each candidate as reflected in the Statement of Votes by Precinct/Municipality/City;

    When all the sub-totals of the Statement of Votes by Precinct/Municipality/City are recorded, the board shall forward the same to the Tabulators who shall add the entries and verify whether the entries therein are the same. The Tabulators shall initially record the grand total in a separate sheet of paper and compare whether the grand totals are the same.

    If there is no discrepancy, the Tabulators shall record the grand totals in the Summary of the Statement of Votes and accomplish the certification portion intended for them in the Summary of the Statement of Votes and submit the same to the board.

    If there is a discrepancy, the Tabulators shall identify such discrepancy to the Chairman, who in turn shall:
    

    1. announce that a correction/s will be made in a particular set of Statement of Votes;
    2. verify the entry;
    3. announce the correct entry; and
    4. direct the member who made the erroneous entry to make the proper correction in his copy of the Summary
       of Statement of Votes.

    The board shall authenticate the correction by affixing their initials immediately after the correction. The Chairman shall then return the corrected Summary of Statement of Votes to the Tabulators who shall accomplish the certification portion intended for them and submit the same to the board.

13. The Tabulators shall, using an adding machine with tape or a computer, add the sub-totals of votes obtained by each candidate as reflected in the Summary of Statement of Votes to get the grand total of votes obtained by each candidate in the province/municipality/city and indicate the grand total of votes in the last column of the Summary of Statement of Votes.
14. Accomplish the certification portion in the Summary of Statement of Votes intended for the Tabulators.
15. Forward the Statement of Votes by Precinct/Municipality/City and Summary of Statement of Votes, with their adding machine tapes or a computer print-out attached, as well as the corresponding election returns/certificate of canvass and their envelopes to the board.
16. The same procedure shall be followed in canvassing subsequent election returns/certificate of canvass and in accomplishing the Statement of Votes by Precinct/Municipality/City and Summary of Statement of Votes.

Section 22. Adjournment of the board.- Each time the board adjourns, and before placing the canvassing forms in the ballot boxes before vacating the canvassing area, the board shall make a total of all votes canvassed, so far, for each candidate for each office, using the following procedure:

1. When all the columns of the SOV are not completely filled up, the Tabulators shall indicate the page partial total of votes obtained by each candidate and close the same by affixing their initials. The SOV shall be placed in the ballot box provided in No. 4 hereunder.
2. When all the columns of the SOV are filled, the Tabulators shall indicate the sub-total.
3. A provisional total shall be made available to mass media and other interested parties.
4. The remaining unopened envelopes and SOV containing the page partial total shall be placed in the ballot box provided for the purpose which shall be locked with three padlocks and fixed-length seals. The keys to each padlock shall kept by the members of the board.
5. The serial number of the fixed-length seal and the quantity of the remaining unopened envelopes shall be recorded in the minutes.
6. Furnish the Commission in Manila by the fastest means of communication a provisional total of the votes canvassed so far for each candidate, and make available the data contained therein to the mass media and other interested parties.

Upon resumption of the canvass:

1. The Secretary of the board shall verify and enter in the minutes the condition of the three padlocks and the fixed-length seal; as well as its serial number.
2. The board shall then, in the presence of the of the watchers, open the ballot box, retrieve the partially-filled Statement of Votes and the unopened envelopes containing the election returns/certificates of canvass not yet canvassed, and proceed with the canvass until all election returns/certificates of canvass are canvassed.

Section 23. Discrepancies in election returns/certificate of canvass. - In case it appears to the board that there exist discrepancies in the other authentic copies of the election returns/certificates of canvass from a polling place or discrepancies in the votes of any candidate in words and figures in the same returns/certificates and in either case the difference affects the results of the election, the board shall not canvass the election returns/certificates of canvass and shall submit the matter to the Commission which shall proceed as provided in Section 236 of the Omnibus Election Code.

Section 24. Canvass to be completed at earliest possible time. - Subject to reasonable exceptions, the board must complete its canvass within thirty-six (36) hours in municipalities/city, and seventy two (72) hours in the provincial level.

Section 25. Submission of the minutes of the proceedings of the board.- Within five (5) days from the termination of canvass, the members-secretaries of the board shall submit to the Law Department of the Commission on Elections in Manila by registered mail a certified copy of the minutes of the proceedings of the board and shall notify by telegram the same department of the date and manner of transmittal of the minutes, indicating therein the registry receipt number.

Section 26. Pre-proclamation cases not allowed in the election of Member of the House of Representatives.- For purposes of the June 02, 2012 Special Elections for Member of the House of Representatives of the Fifth Congressional District of the Province of Negros Occidental, no pre-proclamation cases shall be allowed on matters relating to the preparation, transmission, receipt, custody and appreciation of the election returns or the certificates of canvass, as the case may be. However, this does not preclude the authority of the appropriate canvassing body motu proprio or upon written complaint of an interested person to correct manifest errors in the election returns or certificates of canvass.

Any objection to the election returns/certificates of canvass shall be specifically noted in the minutes of the board.

Section 27. Manifest error.- There is manifest error in the tabulation or tallying of the results during the canvassing where:

1. A copy of the election returns or certificates of canvass was tabulated more than once;
2. Two or more copies of the elections returns of one precinct, or two or more copies certificates of canvass were tabulated separately;
3. There was a mistake in the copying of the figures from the election returns to the SOV by precinct or from the municipal/city Certificates of canvass to the SOV by Municipality/City; or from the Provincial Certificate of Canvass to the SOV by province.
4. Returns from non-existent precinct were included in the canvass; or
5. There was a mistake in the addition of the votes of any candidate.

Section 28. Issues that may be raised during the canvass.- Issues affecting the composition or proceedings of the boards may be initiated by filing a verified petition before the board or directly with the Commission.

If the petition is filed directly with the board, its decision may be appealed to the Commission within three (3) days from issuance thereof. However, if commenced directly with the Commission, the verified petition shall be filed immediately when the board begins to act illegally, or at the time of the appointment of the member of the board whose capacity to sit as such is objected to.

Section 29. Duties and functions of the Municipal/City Board of Canvassers.- The municipal/city Board of canvassers shall:

1. Canvass the election returns for Member, House of Representatives for the Fifth Congressional District of Negros Occidental;
2. Upon completion of the canvass, prepare in eight (8) copies, the Certificate of Canvass of Votes (CEF 20)
   with the corresponding Statement of Votes Per Precinct (CEF 20-A);

Section 30. Distribution of Municipal/City Certificate of Canvass.- The Board of Canvassers shall distribute the Certificate of Canvass of Votes for Member, House of Representatives for the Fifth Congressional District of Negros Occidental (CEF 20) as follows:

1. The first copy to the Provincial Board of Canvassers;
2. The second copy to be posted on the wall of the premises of the canvassing center;
3. The third copy to the Election Records & Statistics Department, Commission on Elections, Manila;
4. The fourth copy to be kept by the Chairman of the board;
5. The fifth copy to the citizens' arm designated by the Commission to conduct an unofficial count. It shall be the duty of
   the citizens' arm to furnish independent candidates copies of the certificates of canvass at the expense of the requesting party; and
6. The sixth, seventh and eighth copies, to the first three (3) of the accredited major political parties. The parties receiving
   the certificates shall have the obligation to furnish the other parties with authentic copies thereof with the least possible delay.

The first, third and fourth copies of the Certificates of Canvass prepared by the Municipal Board of Canvassers shall each be supported by a Statement of Votes by Precinct, signed and thumbmarked by the Chairman and Members of the board, and the watchers of the accredited major political parties, if available. Thereafter, they shall each be sealed and placed inside their corresponding security envelopes which shall likewise be sealed.

Section 31. Duties and functions of the Provincial Board of Canvassers.- The Provincial Board of Canvassers shall:

1. Canvass the Certificate of Canvass of Votes for Member, House of Representatives for the Fifth Congressional District
   of Negros Occidental (CEF 20) submitted by the Municipal/City Board of Canvassers.
2. Upon completion of the canvass:
1. Prepare the Certificate of Canvass of Votes and Proclamation of the Winning Candidate for Member, House
   of Representatives for the Fifth Congressional District of Negros Occidental (CEF 22), and the corresponding Statement of Votes by municipality/city, and
2. Proclaim the winning candidate for Member, House of Representatives for the Fifth Congressional District of Negros Occidental.

Section 32. Certificate of Canvass of Votes and Proclamation of Winning Candidates for Member, House of Representatives for the Fifth Congressional District of Negros Occidental.- The Certificate of Canvass of Votes and Proclamation of the Winning Candidate for Member, House of Representatives for the Fifth Congressional District of Negros Occidental (CEF 22) shall be prepared in four (4) copies and distributed as follows:

1. The first copy to the Election Records and Statistics Department, Commission on Elections in Manila;
2. The second copy to be kept by the Chairman of the Provincial Board of Canvassers;
3. The third copy to the candidate proclaimed; and
4. The fourth copy for posting on the bulletin board of the provincial capitol.

The first and the second copies shall be individually folded and placed in the proper security envelope together with a copy of the Statement of Votes by Municipality/City.

Section 33. Effectivity.- This Resolution shall take effect seven (7) days after its publication in two (2) daily newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.

Section 34. Dissemination.- The Education and Information Department shall furnish the Department of Justice, Department of Education, the Department of Finance, the Regional Election Director of Region VI, Provincial Election Supervisor of Negros Occidental, the Election Officers of the municipalities/city comprising the Fifth Congressional District of Negros Occidental, and Provincial/Division Superintendent of Schools and the Provincial/Municipal/City Treasurers concerned with copies of the Resolution and cause the publication thereof in two (2) daily newspapers of general circulation.

Let the Deputy Executive Director for Operations implement this Resolution.

SO ORDERED.

(Sgd.) SIXTO S. BRILLANTES, JR. Chairman
(Sgd.) RENE V. SARMIENTO Commissioner	(Sgd.) LUCENITO N. TAGLE Commissioner
(Sgd.) ARMANDO C. VELASCO Commissioner	(Sgd.) ELIAS R. YUSOPH Commissioner
(Sgd.) CHRISTIAN ROBERT S. LIM Commissioner