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Bedol kept the matter a secret until June 11.
MindaNews sought Maguindanao police chief, Supt. Adam Piang to inquire if Bedol reported the the matter on May 29 but Piang could not be reached for comment.
A check with the Philippine National Police in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), however, showed that as of 5 pm of June 13, PNP-ARMM has not received any report on the alleged theft in the Comelec office in Maguindanao from the Maguindanao police.
Superintendent Danilo Bacas, ARMM spokesperson quoted Chief Supt. Joel Goltiao, ARMM regional police chief, as saying, “we have not received a report on that.”
Cotabato City-based Romie Guialel, chair of the Citizens Coalition for ARMM Electoral Reforms earlier told MindaNews that Bedol's statement before the National Board of Canvassers Monday morning that the certificates of canvass from the 22 towns were stolen from his office needs to be investigated deeper. “Why was it not reported immediately?” Guialel asked.
Guialel said the caretakers of the COCs should be made accountable," adding the non-reportage, if indeed stolen, is suspect.