'Martial law to speed up poll automation preparations'

MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao might even help speed up preparations for automated polls in the province.

Comelec Commissioner Lucenito Tagle said that under martial law, field personnel tasked to conduct site survey in Maguindanao would likely feel more secure because of greater troop and police visibility.

“I think they’ll be more secure now. I don’t think it (declaration of martial law) will hamper the preparations that we’re doing there,” he said in a telephone interview.

The site survey is being done to determine which parts of the country have poor access to telecommunication facilities, which are vital to an automated system.

President Arroyo has placed Maguindanao under martial law for 60 days, almost two weeks after the massacre in Ampatuan town that left 57 people dead including the wife and sisters of Buluan town Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu by heavily armed men allegedly led by Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr.

The declaration also came on the heels of the seizure of assorted heavy weapons and ammunitions from the Ampatuans.

The seized weapons were reportedly enough to arm an entire battalion.

Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento also gave assurance that martial law would not affect the preparations in Maguindanao.

Sarmiento reminded critics that martial law could last for only up to 60 days under the 1987 Constitution and that it could even be shortened by Congress.

But Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said they might still discuss the issue in a meeting next week.

“We’ll see what needs to be done when we have our en banc next week. We’ll be discussing that,” he said. – Sheila Crisostomo