Citizens' movement wants manual counting of votes

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court was asked yesterday to order a manual counting of votes after the elections on Monday.

Midas Marquez, SC spokesman, said retiring Chief Justice Reynato Puno might call a special session of the SC, which had gone on recess for the elections, to discuss the case if he finds it necessary.

In a petition, the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) said the SC must stop the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from proceeding with automated counting through the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines.

However, Romulo Macalintal, President Arroyo’s election lawyer, said the SC has no jurisdiction to rule on whether the Comelec can shift to a manual count of votes.

In a text message to The STAR, Macalintal said only the Comelec could rule on the matter.

“The SC will step in only if there’s grave abuse of discretion committed by the Comelec, which, in this case, no action has yet been made by the Comelec on the issue of manual count,” he said.

“Hence, with due respect, the petition of Attorney Roque is premature and will be overtaken by events; furthermore, the SC has already ruled that the Comelec may avail of manual polls if the PCOS machines malfunctioned.”

Speaking to reporters, Harry Roque Jr. of CCM said a manual in place of an automated count is necessary to preserve the integrity of the elections in light of several glitches in the PCOS machines during tests last Monday.

“At least we are used to this system and no voters education would be required,” he said. “We can use automated ballots but would need forms for seventy percent of the precincts.

“We will oppose all efforts to postpone the holding of the elections as this will inevitably lead to the transition junta that (Defense Secretary) Norberto Gonzales has been advocating.”