‘Comelec has time to implement partial automation’

Sen. Richard Gordon assured the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that it would have enough time to implement the partial automation of the national polls by May next year.

In a radio interview, Gordon said the bicameral conference committee would complete its discussions on the automated election system bill in a short period of time so that the Comelec can implement the law in key areas during the May 2007 elections.

Gordon, chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments, told dwIZ that he has engaged his House counterpart Makati City Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr. in initial discussions over the bill. He said they have agreed to facilitate deliberations on the measure when the bicameral conference committee convenes during the resumption of regular sessions on Nov. 6.

"It is easy. It can be done. It’s not complicated. We’re not talking about the entire country, it’s only 30,000 precincts," Gordon said.

After issuing earlier statements that there was not enough time to implement partial automation of elections, Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos is now saying that it is possible to have partial automated polls in May.

However, Abalos said that the Comelec may be able to computerize only the transmission of election returns and the canvassing, while voting may still have to be done manually.

Gordon claimed that hesitation of Abalos in implementing the soon-to-be approved law on automated elections, stems from his continued desire to utilize the automated counting machines the Comelec purchased under a contract that has been voided by the Supreme Court.

"I can’t blame Abalos. He is still dreaming of using those machines. He was embarrassed by that (contract)," Gordon said.

However, he pointed out that the Supreme Court, in its ruling, has prohibited the use of the machines and sought the recovery of all expenses made in the purchase.

Gordon also recalled that during the early stages of the Senate hearings on the automated elections bill, the Comelec through commissioner Resurreccion Borra was consistently present.

But when President Arroyo’s election lawyer Romulo Macalintal filed his petition before the Supreme Court to use the automated counting machines, Gordon said that Borra stopped attending the hearings.

"Maybe they thought that the Supreme Court would allow the use of the machines," he said.

During the hearings on the Comelec’s budget, Gordon recalled that Commissioner Florentino Tuason acknowledged that partial automation could be done in 2007.

Under the Senate version of the bill, the automation of elections would be implemented in six cities and six provinces across the country in the May 2007 polls.

Gordon said that the technology and software is readily available in the market so the Comelec should have no reason not to implement the law.