Quantcast

Comelec’s dilemma

06/09/07

Posted under May 2007 elections, Philippine politics

The various cheating scenarios taken together paint a bleak picture for the Commission on Elections; a unique dilemma confronts it in Maguindanao. A declaration on Monday of a failure of elections, necessary to call special elections in the province, will necessarily invalidate the victories of local candidates already proclaimed. Or, rather, the proclaimed winners who cannot prove that elections had actually taken place in their respective areas will be un-proclaimed, and forced to contest the elections again.

One cheating scenario, which Migs Zubiri has vehemently and energetically refuted, involves rigging the Senate vote in the special elections. Another cheating scenario, already amply documented, involved massive cheating or even entirely fabricated election results at the local level. These scenarios, however, require the complicity of Comelec officials.

Hence, the dilemma. The patrons at the national level who want special elections called no longer share a common interest with the clients at the local level who have already been proclaimed. What to do, what to do!?

As one opposition lawyer SMS’ed me the other day: “Someone should ask Gloria very tactfully if Z is worth all the trouble.”





13 Feedbacks on "Comelec’s dilemma"



Bert

Chairman Abalos was being very careful with all his moves and pronouncements with regard reports and accusations of cheating in all areas, but more particularly in the Mindanao areas. Still, it would not take much alertness to discern his bias in all decisions and statements being aired to the public by the Comelec office and by himself. Certainly his ’slip’ is showing, so to speak. It’s so sad because he was a very respectable man in his early stint at politics and in his early start in the Comelec. I was an admirer. What made the man into what he is being perceive today almost make me weep.



romy

For the first time, I completely agree with your editorial. Now that another military man is posed to enter the Senate via the launching of a mutiny, expect others to follow in their footstep. I am sure PDI shares the blame for his election with all the unproven accussation and lies spread by the opposition to tarnished the credibility of the government and glorify the mutiners cause. Gen. Danny Lim is a sure bet as Senator in 2010.



OFW in Afghanistan

Ha ha! Just to increase the number of Team Unity candidates who make it to the Magic 12, Gloria might think that it is worth it. Well, Migs Zubiri has not really impressed me at all. If he does not make it to the Magic 12, that would be allright. Trillanes and Pimentel are much more promising as far as the needed change in Philippine politics is concerned.

Abalos is a hopeless case. He just allowed himself to be used by GMA. The man has lost his credibility a long time ago and down went COMELEC’s credibility with him.

Yes, Bert! Weep for Abalos. Honor your feelings, it will be good for you. The whole country weeps with you.



INQUIRER.net Blogs » Of Filipinos, happy songs and spelling champs

[…] Current: Comelec’s dilemma […]



Manuel L. Quezon III: The Daily Dose » Blog Archive » Damned either way

[…] a debate with a life of its own. My co-blogger John Nery over at Inquirer Current asks, is the Comelec’s dilemma worth it? Ah, but possession -including the holding of political office- is 9/10ths of the […]



INQUIRER.net Blogs » Of green PCs, lost CoCs and science scholarships

[…] Current: Comelec’s dilemma […]



INQUIRER.net Blogs » Of going nuclear, capturing moments and why the nose doesn’t always have to know

[…] Current: Comelec’s dilemma […]



INQUIRER.net Blogs » Of pink and heavyweight laptops

[…] Current: Comelec’s dilemma […]



INQUIRER.net Blogs » Blogging from a hospital and taking a walk

[…] Current : Comelec’s dilemma […]



danilo

Indeed, the COMELEC is not an ideal election watchdog in a democratic society like the Philippines. The dilemma it is facing is rightfully its own making. It could have avoided the mess it created by simply enforcing the law and to protect voters’ right. Its performance during the last election was below par. But, there were notable exceptions of heroism during the recently conducted elections from among its ranks but definitely not from among the Commissioners. People are tired of waiting when it will correctly proclaim the 12th Senator. I personnaly don’t really care who would it be, Migz or Koko, provided the COMELEC will be able to count only everly single ballot cast by the voter in an honest manner and without external force.



RamZ

Don’t care whether it is Koko or Migz? My symphaty goes all the way with the former because the latter is obviously a product of cheating being favored by Comelec!



Kabayan

Malabong malaman ang puno’t dulo ng kalokohan sa Maguindanao vote fraud.. Ipagtatanggol ito ng mga boss niyang umudyok sa kanya mandaya tulad ng nagyari kay Garci. At sino kaya ang umudyok sa kanya mandaya? E di sino pa kundi ang mga nasa partido ng nakinabang sa pandaraya sa Maguindanao!

Una, napaka ipokrito talaga ni Bedol, sabi niya na hihingi siya ng piso-piso sa kanyang mga kaibigan para tulungan siya sa pag-post ng bail pero kailan lang nagyayabang siya na may armory siya ng high powered rifles. Makapangyarihan na, malakas pa sa mga trapo, at mayaman pa. Wag niyang sabihin na wala siyang “ulan sa langit” nung napanalo niya ang Team Unity sa pandaraya!

Pustahan tayo, babawiin niya ang sinabi niyang may armory siyang pag-aari pag kasuhan siya.

Ikalawa, sino pang magsusumbong sa katarantaduhan ng eleksiyon sa Maguindanao eh pinatay ang matapang na whistleblower na si Musa Dimasidsing. May tatlo pang guro na nawawala. Pero ang COMELEC parang walang nangyari, tuloy ang bilangan, business as usual ang mga hangal.

Ikatatlo, isa pang ipokrito ang COMELEC, alam na ngang may dayaan, ginagago pa sila ni Bedol pero re-canvass pa rin ng boto. Gusto nila “fait accompli”. Kung maresolba man ang kaso ni Pimentel, gagastos siya ng milyon-milyon sa kaso, tapos swerte na siya kung maka-upo siyang isang araw bilang Senador. Ang tagal na nitong style na bulok ng COMELEC, ginagawa lagi dati - hanggang ba naman ngayon!?!

Mawalang galang na pero …Mga Walang Dangal … Pwe!



Kabayan

Tulad ng aking prediksyon, naghahanap na ng lusot si Bedol patungkol sa kanyang pinagyayabang na armory:

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view_article.php?article_id=74682



Comments

Please Leave a Comment!




Please note: Comments may be moderated. It may take a while for them to show on the page.





Welcome to
Inquirer Current. A current-events blog by Inquirer columnist Manuel L. Quezon III and Inquirer editor John Nery.
INQUIRER.net VDO

Search

Archives
Categories