October 2007 Archives

By Thea Alberto INQUIRER.net MANILA, Philippines--At least 43 cases of election-related violent incidents we re listed by the Philippine National Police, with at least 23 persons killed an d 20 others wounded as of 9 a.m. Monday. The updated tally showed that five of those killed were candidates for the vill age chief post while two were running as village councilors. Seven of those kil led were incumbent village officials, according to the tally. Meanwhile, four of those wounded were village chief candidates. Chief Superintendent Silverio Alarcio, head of the Directorate for Operations, said this year's village elections were less violent compared to the one in 200 2, when his office listed a total of 159 cases. Alarcio added however that the present number might still increase. "This is because 30 percent of the cases in the 2002 elections happened on Elec tion Day itself," said Alarcio.

By Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--A Catholic prelate has appealed for more active participat ion in the upcoming barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataang (youth council ) elections on October 29 as candidatesâ campaigning ends Saturday. In a statement, Catholic Bishopsâ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) presiden t Angel Lagdameo said that if the faithful could take interest in how their chu rches or parishes operate, they should similarly give the same attention to the ir villages. Lagdameo has also asked the faithful to consciously participate in the affairs of the villages since it serves as a breeding ground for future leaders. He stressed that the people should guard against partisanship in the elections to protect the villageâs role in providing for the common good. Bev erly Natividad

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr. Inquirer ILOILO CITY, Philippines--An outgoing Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chair was shot dead in her home in Lambunao town, Iloilo province, Tuesday evening, the first violent incident in the Visayas involving a youth council candidate less than a week before the barangay (village) and SK elections. Bona Marie Catedral, 22, died from a gunshot wound in the left chest after she was shot at close range at around 6:30 p.m. at her family's residence in Barang ay Jayubo, 15 kilometers from the town proper. Lambunao is around 48 kilometers north of Iloilo City. The victim is the fourth of five children of Lambunao Vice Mayor Pancho Catedra l. Her remains were brought to the Solano Funeral Homes in Lambunao. Investigators are still verifying reports that an unidentified gunman approache d and shot the victim as she was about to close a window of their house. Senior Inspector Elmer Armada, Lambunao police chief, said they were still inve stigating the circumstances of the shooting. Armada would not confirm if politics was being eyed as angle in the shooting. H e also refused to reveal the probable motives of the crime saying they were sti ll in the early stage of their investigation.

By Tina Santos Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--While anti-government groups are trying to find ways to un seat President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, activist priest Robert Reyes has chosen âexorcismâ to ârid the government of evil spirits.â Reyes, also known as the ârunning priestâ for jogging in support of social caus es, performed exorcism rites on Monday in front of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) building in Manila, and also prayed for peaceful and credible baranga y (village) elections on October 29.

By Inquirer Northern Luzon Bureau, Southern Luzon Bureau, Central Luzon Desk, Mindanao Bureau MANILA, Philippines--While the enthusiasm generated by the national elections i n May has died down, candidates for the Oct. 29 barangay (village) and Sangguni ang Kabataan (youth council) elections have been trying to perk up the electora te by using time-tested campaign gimmicks. Some candidates have resorted to merrymaking -- complete with Ati-Atihan dancer s and motorcades of jeepneys, pedicabs and tricycles -- to introduce themselves to voters. Others opted to conduct an anti-rabies vaccination campaign and free measles im munization for children. Still others capitalized on a popular television show for name recall while som e youth candidates named their group after a Japanese cartoon character to attr act young voters. The same charges of vote-buying and fraud that hounded candidates in the May 14 national elections, however, have also cropped up in some provinces. In Nueva Vizcaya, local officials and residents have expressed concern that the exercise has been marked with vote-buying and flying voters. Parents and SK candidates in Barangay Poblacion North have allegedly engaged in registering SK voters who are not from the village, said Councilor Michael Tio ngson of Solano town. In Aritao town, residents said some local officials were virtually dictating th e outcome of the village elections by handpicking those who were supposed to fi le their candidacies and forcing others to withdraw. Candidates belonging to one slate in Don Mariano Perez village in Bayombong tow n have been conducting vaccination of pet dogs. "I wish it is election period every day because our barangay and SK officials b ecome hyperactive during these times. They are so nice, so hard working, so vis ible, always smiling and shaking hands left and right," said Dexter Divad of th e Solano police. In Laoag City, former vice mayor Marlon Manuel said people voting in the villag e and SK elections were not vulnerable to vote-buying because they would likely vote for relatives in the running. "There is no room for 3Gs (goons, guns, gold). When they go to the precincts, v oters will think about whether the candidate has been a good neighbor, if he ha d helped him in some way or whether he is a relative," he said. But like any election, the SK and village polls are used as vehicles for famili es to either perpetuate or expand political dynasties. In Laoag, those joining the polls include Chevylle Fariñas, wife of Mayor Mich ael Fariñas, who is running unopposed. Ruben Ablan, a son of Ilocos Norte Rep. Roque Ablan Jr., is also running for ba rangay chairman. Except for a shooting incident in Bolinao, Pangasinan on Friday night, which hu rt two village leaders, one of whom was a village council candidate, the start of the campaign period was peaceful, police said. For some village candidates in Benguet, it's payback time. Several village candidates have asked for financial help from provincial offici als whom they helped get elected in the May elections. Almost every candidate in Baguio City were discussing waste management in their campaign. In Barangay San Vicente in Tarlac City, streamers by a candidate for village ch air hope to convey the message that if he wins, his village would be as merry a s the popular "Bahay ni Kuya" of ABS-CBN's "Pinoy Big Brother." A slate of village candidates in Barangay Sto. Cristo is trailed by a processio n of placard-carrying supporters and children, in black body paint, dancing in an Ati-Atihan fashion. In Barangay Matatalaib, a group of five candidates for councilor called themsel ves the "Voltes 5" in streamers and placards. Elections in Barangay San Vicente, though, is something to watch out for. The t op position is being contested by former Tarlac City Vice Mayor Tess Cabal and former Councilor Roy Escalona. In Pampanga, the second day of the campaign period took on a fiesta-like atmosp here Saturday when candidates held their respective motorcades. The motorcades, at times tailed by honking tricycles and pedicabs, wound throug h the villages' roads. Some candidates threw candies and campaign leaflets to s pectators. In the Mabalacat village of Marcos, Larry Lingay is the lone Aeta among six can didates for village. Nine Aeta men, however, are running for councilor in the v illage. Also in Mabalacat, village chair candidate Jun Castro coined a catchy phrase fo r his candidacy. In posters, he projected himself as the "katulong sa barangay (your aide in the village)." Siblings of politicians have joined the race. Atlas, the son of Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales, is running for village chief of Dau. His younger brother is ey eing the chairmanship of the SK. In Nueva Ecija, none of the pomp and glitter of the past local elections have b een observed in the campaign trail. The candidates, either riding on tricycles, motorcycles and "kolong-kolong" (mo torcycle-driven cart used to transport hogs), were seen going on a house-to-hou se campaign. In Tabuating in San Leonardo town, an early substitution of candidates happened Friday when a candidate for council member, Numeriano Sapiandante, was shot de ad while campaigning. His younger brother, Atanacio, took his place. Candidates in Bataan have been knocking on doors of their village mates and res idents to ask them what they can give in exchange for their votes. In Bulacan, candidates in uniform colored shirts, vests and native woven hats w ent around the villages of Bulakan, Paombong, Hagonoy and Guiguinto to solicit votes. At least 800 villages in southern Luzon are under police watch. Some of them ar e regarded as "areas of immediate concern" or those where there is intense poli tical rivalry and presence of armed groups. Less colorful and photo-copied campaign materials are posted on mini billboards at village entrances. Candidates are seen conducting house-to-house visits to introduce themselves an d distribute fliers. "We are also going to be conducting a candidate's forum so those who are runnin g could introduce themselves and their platforms," said a village resident in D araga, Albay. In Laguna, candidates attended Mass at the start of the campaign period to pray for victory. In San Pablo City, candidates had themselves blessed by their parish priest aft er attending Mass as their way of ensuring that they win. Palawan's largest village in terms of land area and population, Barangay San Pe dro, has more than 300 candidates vying for seven slots in the village council. "Many are running for council member for the allowance. It is a measure of unem ployment and the lack of livelihood in the place," Ruel Caralipio, a radio stat ion manager, said. In many villages in Cebu City, candidates launched their campaign early Friday with motorcades for the well-funded and house-to-house visits for those with sm all campaign kitty. In Leyte, a barangay captain in Tacloban City admitted that she would pay each voter as much as P500 in return for their support. She is facing four rivals fo r the post she has held for the past five years. Lorenzo Castellano, who was village chief of Ortiz in Iloilo City for 12 years, said vote-buying was also happening in the village elections although these we re supposedly a non-partisan exercise. Castellano, who is running for barangay councilor, said candidates were spendin g larger amounts to win because the monthly honorarium for officials was signif icant, especially in big villages. He said some candidates were spending from P50-P100 to buy votes. While candidates are only allowed to spend P3 per voter, campaign materials hav e become expensive and sophisticated. In the past, candidates used posters made from sacks, Manila paper or cartolina but some candidates had glossy pictures and slogans on tarpaulins, Castellano said. Campaign handbills used to be handwritten but these have been photocopied or pr inted, he added. In Cebu City, some candidates have their own headquarters blaring campaign jing les while others have to make do with handing out handbills or pasting campaign posters. Still others showed their well-funded campaign machinery during the first day o f the campaign period by holding a motorcade. In Maguindanao, provincial administrator Norie Unas said 90 percent of elective posts in the province's 234 villages would not be contested in the elections. The situation is similar to what took place in the province during the May 14 e lections, when most elective posts were dominated by politicians identified wit h Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan. "Barangay candidates who were endorsed from the level of community caucuses wil l be unopposed. And there are still efforts in the consultation level to make i t 100-percent unopposed, depending on the outcome of further consultation," Una s said. In Digos City in Davao del Sur, candidates wearing colorful t-shirts distribute d leaflets with their superimposed photos and asking people to vote for them. But in rebel-influenced areas, the mood is different. In at least five villages of Pikit in North Cotabato, security remains uncertain. Mohali Salik, whose group petitioned the Comelec to move the voting from Rajamu da, Baguinged, Buliok Proper, Barongis and Kabasalan to Gli-Gli, said armed men had been warning residents against voting on Oct. 29. In Parang, Sharif Kabunsuan, Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Mu slim Mindanao (ARMM) said he was seeking the help of Muslim religious leaders f or the conduct of peaceful balloting. The police said 199 of the region's 2,475 villages were deemed risky for both v oters and candidates because of the presence of armed groups. In Pagadian City, the village elections have become an opportunity for at least seven local journalists to enter politics. One of them is running for village chair while six others are aspiring to be council members. Reports from Gabriel Cardinoza, Peter La. Julian, Melvin Gascon, Delmar Cariño, Cristi na Arzadon, Vincent Cabreza and Desiree Caluza, Inquirer Northern Luzon, and Ru ssell Arador, Anselmo Roque, Tonette Orejas, Carmela Reyes and Greg Refraccion, Inquirer Central Luzon; Ephraim Aguilar, Jaymee Gamil, Romulo Ponte, Gerald Ge ne Querubin, and Madonna Virola, Inquirer Southern Luzon; Junex Napallacan, Nes tor Burgos Jr., Carla Gomez, Joey Gabieta and Ven Labro, Inquirer Visayas; Nash Maulana, Edwin Fernandez, Allan Nawal, Aquiles Zonio, Charlie Señase and Denn is Santos, Inquirer Mindanao

By DJ Yap Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--Candidates running for barangay (village) or Sangguniang K abataan (youth council) posts in Makati City were warned not to violate electio n laws on the posting of campaign materials, lest they get fined. The city government of Makati, through its environmental services department, a lso asked the candidates to minimize the use of campaign posters and to post th em only on exterior walls allowed by the Commission on Elections. "These campaign materials are eyesores and we do not want our city to be litter ed with them," city environment department chief Danilo Villas said on Thursday . "Now that we are approaching the official campaign period, which will start on October 19, we must step up our efforts to ensure that our environmental and el ection laws are upheld in Makati," he said. He called on the candidates to comply with the city's ordinance prohibiting the defacement of walls and public spaces and avoid posting campaign materials on walls and lampposts along major roads. Villas said his office has been directed to remove all campaign materials poste d outside the Comelec designated areas, in accordance with the Makati Solid Was te Code as well as election laws covering campaign materials. Under the Code, individual violators are fined P1, 000, while organizations are required to pay P5, 000. Villas, who also heads the Association of Metro Manila Environment Officers, re minded the candidates that they should first obtain the consent of homeowners i f they wanted to post campaign materials on the walls of private residences. He also urged residents to report candidates seen violating the laws.

By Inquirer CABANATUAN CITY--The practice of courting the endorsement of the Iglesia ni Cri sto, a religious organization known to practice bloc voting, is not the exclusi ve domain of candidates for national and local government positions. In the run up to the Oct. 29 synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK ) elections, some candidates for SK positions have started seeking the endorsem ent of local INC ministers to push their candidacies. Early start A candidate for SK chair in a northern Nueva Ecija city said she went to the of fice of the local INC minister to seek his help in her candidacy. She said her father, who knows the minister, accompanied her and together they asked for an endorsement of her candidacy to the young members of the group. The minister, she said, was non-committal and said he would study her request. The candidate, a senior high school student who declined to be identified to av oid accusations of early campaigning, said she knew that other candidates in th eir village, both for the SK and barangay council elections, have already appro ached the minister to seek his endorsement. Influence âI was told that the members of INC deliver solid votes. That was the reason wh y we approached the minister. His endorsement will be a big help for me since t here are many members of his group in our village,â the candidate said. In Isabela, the police have tightened security preparations for the barangay an d SK elections in at least 199 villages where communist rebels are known to be operating. Senior Supt. Dominador Aquino Jr., Isabela police director, said he has ordered an intensified monitoring of these villages to stop any violent incident in th e run up to the elections. âWe have to work on this matter because the police have been [one of the] prima ry forces against communist rebels,â he said. Aquino said the villages they are watching are in the towns of Benito Soliven, Echague, Jones, San Mariano and San Agustin. Anselmo Roque, Inquire r Central Luzon, and Villamor Visaya Jr., Inquirer Northern Luzon

By Charlie Señase Inquirer Mindanao Bureau COTABATO CITY--Acting Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Resurreccion B orra has reminded provincial, city, and town poll officials to disseminate reso lutions pertaining to the October 29 barangay (village) and youth polls. "It is imperative that candidates in the Barangay and the Sangguniang Kabataan elections and the public in general are aware of the Comelec guidelines," said city election registrar Arlan Mangelen in paraphrasing Borra's latest directive . Significantly raised was Comelec Resolution 8230 which pertains to the use of c ampaign and other propaganda materials of which a candidate is only allowed to spend P3 per voter. Mangelen said poster sizes should not exceed two feet by three feet and must on ly be displayed within the designated common poster areas. The Comelec official also reminded candidates of the October 18 deadline for th e filing of their certificates of candidacy. While the liquor and gun bans are being enforced until November 13, the Comelec has set the campaign period from October 19 to 27.

By Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has accredited the P arish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) as its citizenâs arm for the October 29 Barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elec tions. In a resolution, the Comelec en banc granted the PPCRVâs August 10 petition see king accreditation. The Comelec said that it has considered PPCRVâs commendable participation in pa st electoral exercises as well as its commitment toward honest, clean, credible , and peaceful elections, for its accreditation of the group. It added, the PPCRV has also sufficiently complied with the Comelecâs accredita tion rules. The Comelec said that the PPCRV will conduct poll watching and assist voters in various precincts, and assist the Comelec in providing voterâs information and values education in municipalities, cities and provinces. Beverly T. Natividad

By Inquirer DAGUPAN CITY--A candidate for village chief was shot dead in front of his furni ture shop in Tayug, Pangasinan, on Tuesday even as more areas were placed under police watch in the run up to the barangay and youth elections on Oct. 29. Tayug police chief Supt. Sotero Soriano Jr. said Jaime Tolentino, 57, who filed his candidacy for barangay captain of Carriedo in Tayug on Monday, died instan tly after men aboard a motorcycle shot him at about 12:15 p.m. Tuesday. Tolentinoâs 24-year-old son, Marlon, who was sawing a piece of wood in their sh op, was wounded when a stray bullet hit his right leg. Soriano said the older Tolentino was hit in various parts of his body. Six empt y shells from a .45 cal. pistol were recovered from the crime scene. âWe are still trying to ascertain if this is a politically motivated killing,â Soriano said. The police have placed at least 15 villages in Isabela and Cagayan provinces un der its watch list for the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elect ions. Cagayan police director Senior Supt. Jude Wilson Santos said police were watchi ng the villages of Liwan Norte and Barangay Dos in Enrile town and three villag es in Tuguegarao City due to incidents of election-related violence in past ele ctions. In Isabela, at least 10 villages in San Pablo, Aurora, San Mariano and Delfin A lbano towns have been classified as âareas of concernâ in the run up to the Oct . 29 elections. Isabela police director Senior Supt. Dominador Aquino Jr. said he has ordered p olice chiefs in these towns to be on âextra alertâ to stop poll-related violenc e and clashes there. In the Cordillera, police were watching 63 villages for possible cases of elect ion-related violence. Senior Supt. Noel Manabat, deputy regional director for operations of the Cordi llera police, said these villages in Abra, Mt. Province, Benguet and Ifugao hav e been placed under their election watch areas (EWA) based on cases of politica l violence in the 2004 and 2007 elections. Gabriel Cardiñoza, Vill amor Visaya Jr., Desiree Caluza, Inquirer Northern Luzon; Judy Quiros, Inquirer Mindanao

By Leila Salaverria Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--Jailed opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has asked t he Supreme Court to reverse a Makati court decision and allow him to attend Sen ate sessions and other official functions. Trillanes, who is in jail on coup dâetat charges in connection with the July 20 03 Oakwood mutiny, also asked the high court to stop the military from preventi ng him from seeing his Senate staff, resource persons and guests at his detenti on cell at the Marine Barracks of Fort Bonifacio. Named respondents in the petition were Makati regional trial court Judge Oscar Pimentel; Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr.; Marine Commandant, Major G eneral Benjamin Dolorfino; Navy Flag Officer in Command, Vice Admiral Rogelio C alunsag; and Marine Barracks Manila commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Luci ardo Obeña Jr. In rejecting Trillanesâ petition to be allowed to attend Senate sessions, allow ed access to media and set up an office in his jail cell, the Makati court said the request was tantamount to asking that Trillanes be given special privilege s and preferential treatment. In his petition, Trillanes said the Makati courtâs decision not to allow him to attend Senate sessions was inconsistent with its earlier ruling allowing him t o run for public office. He said the ruling was equivalent to âdenying the peopleâs will, refusing their choice and overruling their mandate as the countryâs sovereign.â Trillanes won election to the Senate in the May 2007 elections with about 11 mi llion votes. Trillanes said he should be given the same treatment as deposed president Josep h Estrada, who was convicted of plunder last month and sentenced to life impris onment, and Nur Misuari, founder of the Moro National Liberation Front and the former governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. He said Estrada was allowed out to attend social functions, while Misuari was p laced under âtownhouse arrestâ and allowed to go abroad. His lawyer Reynaldo Robles said that until September 27, his client was allowed to receive visitors and resource persons, including other senators, but the mi litary later banned him from receiving guests, except for close family members, without explanation. The ban came after Trillanes held a committee hearing at his detention cell in Fort Bonifacio. Trillanes said that with the ban on visitors, he is now stopped from fulfilling the few Senate functions that he was able to do.

By Charlie Señase Inquirer Mindanao Bureau COTABATO CITY--After almost five months of waiting, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has finally proclaimed three winning candidates in this year's guber natorial race in Shariff Kabunsuan province. In July, Governor Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (A RMM) appointed provincial officers-in-charge while waiting for the Comelec's pr oclamation of winning bets. The proclamation was delayed by the election protest lodged by opposition guber natorial bet Tocao Mastura and his partymates. Mastura has been contesting the lead of administration rival Bimbo Sinsuat, cit ing fraud. "There is a pending petition for correction of manifest error filed by the cand idates of NPC [Nationalist People's Coalition]," said De Mesa. In appointing officers-in-charge, Ampatuan said the absence of Comelec-proclaim ed winners would create a vacuum in the provincial government and would affect delivery of services. Jocelyn de Mesa, chairperson of the provincial board of canvassers, officially declared Vice Governor Ibrahim Ibay and Board Members Sinarimban Ambolodto and Jojo Limbona winners in the May 14 polls. De Mesa said the proclamation of the three winning candidates would not alter t he outcome of the pending case. "If the errors will be corrected, there will be changes in the ranking, but I w as safe in proclaiming at least number 1 and 2 because they will never be remov ed from this position," she explained. De Mesa said she was hoping that the complete set of winners in the May 14 poll s would be out soon as the Mastura-Sinsuat case was in the process of being res olved by the Comelec en banc. "In due time, we will have to proclaim the other winning candidates," De Mesa s aid. By the law of succession as provided for in the Local Government Code, Ibay wil l have to act as acting governor while Board Member Ambolodto with the highest number of votes will temporarily hold the vice gubernatorial post, De Mesa said .

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez INQUIRER.net MANILA, Philippines--The Philippine National Police (PNP) has identified at lea st 4,511 villages throughout the country as hotspots for the upcoming October e lections, PNP Chief Avelino Razon Jr. said Tuesday. At the same time, Razon said the PNP will work with the Armed Forces of the Phi lippines (AFP) to ensure that the barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan ( youth council) polls will not be disrupted by threat groups like the communist rebels, terrorist groups and private armies of some politicians. Razon presented a report on the October 29 elections to President Gloria Macapa gal-Arroyo during Tuesday's meeting of the National Security Council in Malaca ñang. He said he will submit the same report to the Commission on Election Wed nesday. The villages considered as election hotspots are mostly in the Autonomous Regio n in Muslim Mindanao, the Cordillera region, and Regions 2 and 9. AFP chief of staff General Hermogenes Esperon said government forces will stric tly monitor threat groups to prevent them from sowing violence during the polls . He said that for the first semester of this year, the military has neutralized 966 New Peopleâs Army rebels and 70 members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf g roup. Esperon said the NPA's strength has been reduced to 621 from 716 at the end of 2006, and the Abu Sayyaf from 452 to 380.

By Artemio V. Panganiban Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--The resignation of Benjamin Abalos Sr. highlights the need for a new credible head of the Commission on Elections. Aside from the chair, however, there is another vacancy in the seven-member commission. And come Feb. 2, 2008, two more commissioners (Resurreccion Borra and Florentino Tuason) wil l retire, thereby presaging a full leadership change. Some preliminaries. At the outset, let me tackle a few housekeeping legalities. Sec. 2 of Article IX (C) of the Constitution says, "Appointment to any vacancy (in the Comelec) shall be only for the unexpired term of the predecessor." So, an appointee to the chairmanship now will hold office only until Feb. 2, 2007 when Abalos' original term expires. The chair to be appointed after Feb. 2 shal l serve the regular term of seven years, from 2008 to 2015. Nonetheless, the ch air who may be named now cannot be reappointed to the seven-year term beginning in February 2008 because the Constitution bars "re-appointments." For the same reason, none of the present commissioners can be appointed chair ( "Matibag vs Benipayo," Apr. 2, 2002). In the meantime however, the incumbent me mbers may designate one from among themselves to be an "officer in charge," as they have already done. Note that the incumbent commissioners shall select the officer in charge. The a uthority of the President to name, with the consent of the Comelec, the chair a nd the commissioners does not include "acting" or "temporary" appointments. "In no case," declares the Constitution, "shall any Member be appointed or designa ted in a temporary or acting capacity." In "Brillantes vs Yorac," (Dec. 18, 199 0), the Supreme Court nullified appointments "that are revocable at will," beca use they undermine the independence of constitutional commissions. Nevertheless, the President can immediately fill-up the commissionership that b ecame vacant in February last year. The appointee shall hold office only until February 2013, not for the full seven years. "Gaminde vs Commission on Audit" ( Dec. 13, 2000) ruled that the tenure of the commissioners shall expire at the e nd of the seven-year term "regardless of the dates of their appointments." Ideal poll officials. When fully constituted, the Comelec should have a chair a nd six commissioners who must all be (1) natural-born citizens; (2) at least 35 years old; (3) college degree holders; and (4) must not have been candidates i n the last elections. Moreover, a majority of the commissioners "including the chairman" shall be lawyers who have been engaged in law practice for at least 1 0 years. The Comelec has been granted the "exclusive original" power to decide "all cont ests relating to the elections, returns, and qualifications of all elective reg ional, provincial and city officials." Moreover, its decisions regarding appeal s of lower court judgments involving municipal and barangay elections are final . In short, the Comelec performs critical judicial functions; thus, its members --especially its chair--must possess the constitutional qualifications of judge s, namely "proven competence, integrity, probity and independence." Equally important, the Comelec has been mandated to "enforce and administer" al l election laws. Thus, its commissioners--again, especially its chair--must als o be capable executives and visionary leaders. It is very difficult to find a p erson who possesses the qualities of both a judge and a leader. A jurist is a l oner--cold, stoic, unreachable and unfathomable; a perceptive thinker and an in genious writer, who composes personally all his or her decisions. In contrast, a leader/executive is an incandescent team player who is versed in people skills; a consensus builder who systematically delegates authority and responsibility. A jurist is a recluse who meticulously follows precedents; who would rather play solitaire than toast cocktails or swing in ballrooms; a leade r is an action person who innovates, re-engineers and reinvents new and better ways to propel an organization towards its vision, mission and core values. Transparent process. The viability of our democracy depends on a credible Comel ec led by an incorruptible chair and commissioners. To stress, these officials are rare, for they are both judges and leaders at the same time. And naming the m becomes even more delicate due to the political pressures that bedevil the pr ocess and the choices. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is of course the indispensable player in choo sing them. The integrity of the process and the quality of her choices will be her lasting legacy to democracy. Credible appointees will, I am sure, elevate h er public trust rating, which per the latest SWS survey is now a dismal negativ e 11. For the country's sake and also for hers, the appointment process should be tra nsparent, and participated in by the poll watch groups that have sacrificed the ir time, talents and treasures in the name of free elections. They should be in vited to nominate candidates, to scrutinize their credentials, and in general, to monitor the process. Before she exits in 2010, GMA would have named all seven members of the Comelec , including the three incumbents (Romeo Brawner, Rene Sarmiento and Nicodemo Fe rrer) whom she appointed earlier. Will she bequeath to the nation an independen t, competent and trustworthy Comelec that will finally reform and automate our archaic electoral system, and conduct credible, speedy and peaceful elections?

By Dona Pazzibugan Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--Former Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol will soon be charged with electoral sabotage for losing the municipal election resul ts in the province during the May senatorial elections. Resurreccion Borra, who took over as acting Commission on Elections chairman fo llowing Benjamin Abalos Sr.'s resignation, told a Senate budget hearing last we ek that the poll body would pursue filing criminal charges against Bedol. Borra and Commissioners Nicodemo Ferrer, Florentino Tuason and Romeo Brawner ap peared before Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, chairman of the Senate finance commit tee and Miriam Defensor-Santiago, to appeal for no further cuts to the Comelec' s proposed P4.3 billion-budget for next year. Comelec had originally asked for an P8.6 billion-budget for 2008, but Malacaña ng cut this in half to P4.3 billion as the final proposal to be submitted to Co ngress. This includes the proposed P267-million budget for the Autonomous Region of Mus lim Mindanao (ARMM) election in 2008. Borra mentioned Bedol's case when questioned what the Comelec has done against erring election officers. "He has a pending case on electoral sabotage. The investigation is ongoing for criminal prosecution," said Borra, adding that the result of the preliminary in vestigation would be released "soon." The Comelec under Abalos had come under fire from poll watchdog groups for the poll body's kid glove treatment of Bedol, who failed to produce the municipal c ertificates of canvass of the senatorial elections from Maguindanao to the Come lec office in Manila. Bedol was eventually cited for indirect contempt for snubbing Comelec hearings and was sentenced to six months in jail and fined P1,000. But he spent only one night at the Comelec's law department before he was released on a P15,000 bail . Opposition senatorial candidate Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III filed an electoral protest before the Senate Electoral Tribunal against administration candidate Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, mainly contesting the inclusion of the Maguindanao vot es. The Comelec observed that Maguindanao produced "statistically improbable" resul ts since 19 out of 37 senatorial candidates got zero votes while the administra tion Team Unity slate registered a landslide victory. After the recanvassing of the results from Maguindanao and a handful of other m unicipalities in the ARMM, Zubiri dislodged Pimentel from the 12th slot. In an interview after the hearing, Borra said the preliminary investigation rep ort recommending the filing of electoral sabotage charges against Bedol would b e out soon. He said the Comelec's law department would submit the report to Ferrer, who was put in charge of the Maguindanao recanvassing (after Commissioner Rene Sarmien to begged off for health reasons). Borra said Ferrer would draft the ruling for the filing of an electoral sabotag e case against Bedol for "electoral offenses, fraud, anomalies and infidelity i n the custody of election documents." Borra refused to comment on how the finding on Bedol's culpability would affect Pimentel's electoral protest.

By Veronica Uy INQUIRER.net MANILA, Philippines--Acting poll chief Resurreccion Borra has warned the public against taking lightly the importance and the level of rivalry in the upcoming barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections on Octob er 29. âLetâs not underestimate [these] elections because it will be hotly contested. Brothers will run against brothers; fathers against sons; relatives against nei ghbors. All do not want to lose and amor propio or pride will not create the at mosphere conducive to a free, fair, and intelligent elections,â he told reporte rs at the Senate shortly before the start of the hearing on the Comelecâs budge t. Borra, who took over the helm of the Commission on Elections following the resi gnation of erstwhile chairman Benjamin Abalos, said the poll body will hold a c ommand conference with the military and the policemen next Wednesday in Camp Cr ame to discuss the possible election hot spots or areas where violence may occu r. The acting Comelec chairman also said that the poll body is halfway through its preparations for the elections at the grassroots. Borra said that it appears that there would be no postponement of the polls. âW eâre only guided by the law. If thereâs no law postponing it, we will go ahead with the elections,â he said. He said the printing of ballots, election returns, and other accountable forms is likewise at the halfway point. Borra said that as per Comelec records, there are 33 million voters for the vil lage polls and two million for the youth polls. He said the 244,000 election pr ecincts nationwide would be clustered into 165,000 precincts.