Charter change casting doubt on 2007 polls

Provincial election officer Edwin Cadungog said issues on amending the 1987 Constitution through a constituent assembly (con-ass) or through a constitutional convention (con-con) and as well as the hype on Cebu's hosting of the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit have doused the election fever.

Cadungog told reporters yesterday morning that unlike in the previous elections where normally political positioning already "makes noise" as early as December, this time it is different.

"Mingaw gihapon. Even public officials mangutana kon tinuod ba nga naay election next year because they also hear from other sources that it will be postponed. So dili ang tanang kalsada leading to Rome," he said.

Apprehensions of the incumbent officials are founded on the proposal of the Constitutional Commission to suspend the 2007 elections.

He said there is little talk about politics in most of the towns in Cebu, except for one town in the north but which he refused to name.

But even so, Cadungog said that they in the election body should already be preparing for the said electoral process unless there is no approved amendment of the Constitution either by way of people's initiative, con-con, and con-ass, in pursuant to what is provided in the law.

Further, Cadungog said the approved amendment must be confirmed by a majority vote cast by the voting populace through a plebiscite called for that purpose.

In relation to the Comelec preparation for next year, Cadungog said they might be forced to manufacture new ballot boxes if the ones transported to Manila used for the recount of election returns covered in the election protest of former senator Loren Legarda against Vice President Noli de Castro in six pilot provinces will not be returned to Cebu in time for next year's election.

Nevertheless, he said that during his conference with election Commissioner Resurrecion Borra that latter vowed to conduct a query on the report of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal regarding the revision of ballots from Cebu. - Cristina C. Birondo/BRP