COMELEC SHOULD SLOW DOWN IN DEPUTIZING (NOT IN COUNTING)
The 2010 May Elections are less than a year away, and already the Comelec has sadly "dis-automated" itself, leaving the entire nation hostage to yet another possible part 2 of "Hello Garci." But, the Comelec should this time go slow in deputizing certain private groups, especially those identified with the church, as Comelec units charged with election duties particularly the tabulation of election returns.
Two such groups have become notorious for meddling in past elections and for promoting their candidates, most of whom were also said to to be favored by the church. Most officials of such organizations are known church lay-people who had come out in favor of certain church-backed candidates.
These groups should not be deputized again by the Comelec because of their known favorites, which will preclude them from being neutral in the elections, especially when they conduct quick-count duties. A banking official and a member of one of these groups was a rabid partisan of then presidential candidate Corazon Aquino, who was later appointed to a top position in the Comelec. He did not hesitate to wield his powers while in the poll body, highly-influenced as he was by his political biases and strong opinions. Comelec Chairman Jose Melo should be advised that no private poll groups be allowed to conduct quick-counts in view of bad experiences in the past where such quick-counts had been rigged in favor of certain candidates. If this is unavoidable, then the best thing for Melo to make sure is that these groups should be totally non-partisan and do not favor any one candidate over the others. In addition, certain private poll organizations are the recipients of financial support from certain foreign governments. These groups should likewise be barred from being deputized as Comelec arms.
The 2010 May Elections are less than a year away, and already the Comelec has sadly "dis-automated" itself, leaving the entire nation hostage to yet another possible part 2 of "Hello Garci." But, the Comelec should this time go slow in deputizing certain private groups, especially those identified with the church, as Comelec units charged with election duties particularly the tabulation of election returns.
Two such groups have become notorious for meddling in past elections and for promoting their candidates, most of whom were also said to to be favored by the church. Most officials of such organizations are known church lay-people who had come out in favor of certain church-backed candidates.
These groups should not be deputized again by the Comelec because of their known favorites, which will preclude them from being neutral in the elections, especially when they conduct quick-count duties. A banking official and a member of one of these groups was a rabid partisan of then presidential candidate Corazon Aquino, who was later appointed to a top position in the Comelec. He did not hesitate to wield his powers while in the poll body, highly-influenced as he was by his political biases and strong opinions. Comelec Chairman Jose Melo should be advised that no private poll groups be allowed to conduct quick-counts in view of bad experiences in the past where such quick-counts had been rigged in favor of certain candidates. If this is unavoidable, then the best thing for Melo to make sure is that these groups should be totally non-partisan and do not favor any one candidate over the others. In addition, certain private poll organizations are the recipients of financial support from certain foreign governments. These groups should likewise be barred from being deputized as Comelec arms.
(Image from http://www.lawphil.net/)
