Politicians painting 'no-el' scenario dared to drop 2010 plans

MANILA, Philippines - Critics of President Arroyo who have been warning of a no-election scenario in May 2010 should declare this early that they will not seek public office should the presidential elections push through, House leaders said yesterday.

Speaker Prospero Nograles and Deputy Majority Leader Juan Edgardo Angara brushed aside insinuations that the polls will be dispensed with, as both challenged the opposition to declare that they will not run or accept any government post once elections take place.

“Likewise, I will reject any position in government, elective or otherwise, if we will have a No-El in 2010,” the Speaker dared, as he noted that Congress has fast-tracked the approval of the P 11.3-billion supplemental budget for the Commission on Election’s (Comelec) poll automation.

Nograles believes that those who are “peddling this intrigue” are only doing so in an attempt to discredit the government, which has been their agenda from the very start, and to prop themselves up by catching media attention.

“These people who are painting this no-el scenario are ironically making these claims so that they can prop up their image for the 2010 elections,” the Speaker declared in a statement to the media. 

“If they honestly believe that the Arroyo administration is pushing for a no-el, I challenge them to make a public announcement that they would reject any government position or withdraw from seeking any elective position if we will have an election next year,” he said.

The Speaker “sees no reason” to postpone the 2010 elections despite fears raised earlier by Comelec chairman Jose Melo that complications in the bidding for the poll automation contract may be challenged before the Supreme Court.

“This no-el scenario is a phantom that only exists in the idle minds of intrigue-peddlers who, ironically, are misty-eyed in seeking elective posts next year,” he added.

Rep. Angara appealed to those who persist in painting the no-election scenario to put the issue to rest and instead work hard in ensuring the country can finally have a clean and honest election next year.

“The claims of no-election are silly. I believe the public will not allow a no-el in 2010,” said Angara, the lone representative of Aurora.

“Peaceful and orderly turnover of power is one of the signs of a maturing democracy,” he added.

Angara said the no-el scenario in 2010 is unlikely even in the face of raging debate on Charter change at the House of Representatives.

No-el scenario farfetched

Makati Rep. Teddyboy Locsin earlier assured that Melo has nothing to fear in case automation of the May 2010 presidential elections fails because the law provides for an option to return to manual counting.

The chairman of the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms clarified that the election computerization law makes available the implementation of the manual election if there will be a bidding failure for a computerized balloting.

“The brilliant law which I wrote provides for that eventuality too, by giving the Comelec the option to return to full manual,” Locsin, one of the main authors of the poll automation law, said.

Like Nograles, Locsin brushed aside Melo’s fears of a no-election scenario.

The Comelec chair is apprehensive that losing bidders and partisan groups who want to sabotage the whole electoral process could use as template the 2003 procurement anomaly case against the poll body that prevented its plan to automate the May 2004 presidential elections.

Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao, an administration lawmaker, agreed with Locsin. “A no- election scenario is farfetched. Quite possibly, if no bidding succeeds then we go back to the manual system.”

He nonetheless warned that a major glitch in the untested nationwide poll automation could lead to big trouble.

“Should there be no national candidates proclaimed by June 30, there will be a dangerous power vacuum since there is no hold-over term for them.”

Nograles, on the other hand, was more sympathetic with Melo.

“If all their preparations will result in a failure to elect national and local officials, then that disaster will surely be beyond repair. It’s not only a nightmare, it’s total chaos to the max(imum),” said Nograles.

He repeated his call for all to leave the Comelec alone. “I trust the chairman completely in this regard. It’s best that we should leave the Comelec alone and let them do their job. After all, it is their reputation that is at stake.”