The Comelec is clearly out for mischief!
Shooting Straight
The World Bank is telling the Aquino regime to speed up reforms, recognizing our low inflation rate, declining debt and sustained economic growth (thanks to the dollar inflow courtesy of our overseas Filipino workers (OFWS). But then, how can we speed up those reforms when in truth there really are no reforms in the agenda of President Benigno Aquino III. While the President’s anti-corruption slogan is well- intentioned, however when it comes to his Kaklase, Kaibigan and his Kabarilan (KKK) these people are considered “untouchables.” These are the people who should reform!
But no matter how P-noy gives us the litany of the corruption going on in this country, he fails miserably to accept the present reality that the corruption is not due to an individual person, like his targeting Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Renato Corona, but rather that corruption has become the system in this country. It is for this very reason why drivers still complain against “kotong” cops and by the way, if P-noy didn’t know, even the “wang-wangs” have returned in many of the places I visited.
Another proof that there are no reforms is the problem that we’ve had since the time of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo when the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) downgraded us from “Category 1” to “Category 2.” If the Aquino regime instituted those reforms, then by now, nearly two years after he took office, we would have already returned to our old “Category 1” status. But as it is, P-noy embraced the “Open Skies” policy introduced by then Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Alberto Lim, which has not resulted in new flights coming to the country… and worse for Cebu, by next Monday Qatar Airlines will cease operations from Mactan.
Perhaps the biggest reform that this country should embark on is a total overhaul of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), because it refuses to look into electoral fraud even if they are presented with damning evidence. When his critics questioned the recent decision by the Comelec to purchase the highly- controversial Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines, the unexpected reply that took me by surprise came from Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes who said “So sue us!” This remark smacks of sheer arrogance which we should never expect from a so-called “public servant.”
I’m only a journalist, but I certainly hope that well- meaning people or groups would not only sue the Comelec, perhaps someone ought to file an impeachment case against this highly-arrogant former lawyer of the Liberal Party (LP) whom many pundits suspect would use his position to the great advantage of the LP partymates.
Mind you the evidence that the PCOS machines can be tweaked or has been misused during the last May 2010 elections is numerous. Again allow me to bring the issue of the Municipality of Compostela where for 22 months, they did not have any elective officials because Comelec refused to look into what’s inside the ballot boxes. Instead, the Comelec brought the ballot boxes to Manila and after 22 months, decided the case, without getting into the bottom that fraud could have taken place during the elections.
Ask yourself… why won’t the Comelec allow the opening of the ballot boxes? The reason of course is crystal clear… it will prove that what’s inside the ballot boxes will not match with what the PCOS machines reported. And if we dig deeper… it would only prove that the May 2010 elections can be dubbed as the worst elections ever to happen in this country.
While I’m for suing the Comelec, however I do recall that there are pending cases now lodged in the Supreme Court on this very issue. One is Adaza vs Comelec, GR No.192561 and the other is Aquilar vs Comelec, GR No.194204 which is still pending. Perhaps the Supreme Court should now give these cases utmost importance, given the fact that we have a Comelec Chairman who doesn’t respect a legitimate complaint about the PCOS machine. In my book the Comelec is out for mischief and we should never allow the Comelec to use a system that they themselves know can be compromised, tweaked or twisted to favor certain political candidates or parties.
As of now, I would like to believe that we can still hold a fair and honest election if we used the manual system because the paraphernalia is already there. If the Comelec insists on using the PCOS machines, I can assure you that it won’t be called an election anymore… we might as well call it a bidding because that’s were the Comelec seems to be heading!
If you didn’t know, the people of Compostela wanted to know why did the Comelec have to send their ballot boxes to Manila? So someone could do some kind of switcheroo? If I were to reform the Comelec, I would break it apart on a Regional level appealable only to the Supreme Court. That way, it would no longer need a national chairman who has a full and centralized control over the entire country. So let’s cleanse the Comelec first!
* * * For e-mail responses to this article, write to vsbobita@mo-pzcom. com or vsbobita@gmail.com. His columns can be accessed through www.philstar.com.