11/05/2009
Electoral cheating redux?This early, some unscrupulous politicians are already plotting to “sabotage” the computerized elections in next year’s poll exercise, Sen. Richard Gordon claimed yesterday.
He made this disclosure following reports that some congressmen are said to be set to maneuver the implementation of the law providing for the automated election system by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the coming 2010 presidential polls.
“What I know is that there are those (individuals) plotting — some congressmen plotting, from what I had gathered,” he said during an interview with reporters, alluding to alleged moves of some congressmen to postpone the implementation of the poll automation, a first in the country despite the enactment of the automation law several years ago.
It is hardly any secret that congressmen have raised certain issues before the high court relating to the provisions found in the automation law, which run counter to the resolutions of the Comelec. The move, however, cannot be categorized as “sabotaging” the plans to hold nationwide automated polls.
But Gordon insists that “there are some persons who are desperate; who fear that some of their candidates do not stand a chance in the polls.”
Gordon is the principal author of Republic Act No. 9369 or the amended Automated Elections System Law.
Even as he made these allegations, Gordon, however, refused to name names, claiming he merely received these reports. The so-called sabotage plan was not even clear.
“I heard of it -- there are some of those (congressmen) allegedly fearing the outcome of the polls and want to “go over Dick Gordon and are out to convince (Senate President Juan Ponce) Enrile. I don’t think we (in the Senate) can be easily convinced,” he said.
Initially, Gordon expressed confidence in a smooth flow of the coming elections, despite observations by many culled from the recently-concluded registration process of new voters being marred by confusion and other unforeseen problems which could take its toll on election day.
“I have no doubt the automated elections will succeed unless there are those out to sabotage the system for their own benefit,” he said.
When asked whether there exists a threat in poll automation, the senator said he has received reports indicating such plans, adding that there is reason to be vigilant over the outcome of the coming elections especially as some sectors feel that their chosen candidates do not stand a chance.
“This (poll automation) will provide a level-playing field. You don’t need to employ a number of poll watchers because the system is computerized, it will be the machine that will count and validate the votes and all the watchers have to do is monitor the results and report to you. We will be able to know who will be the new president, probably, by 11 in the evening that day.
“Counting manually would require a lot of money and those powerful candidates are given the edge. But in the computerized system, everyone is on equal footing,” he added.
Gordon, however, dismissed the possibility of lawmakers employing legal means such as enacting a law to stall the implementation of the poll automation system.
“Well if they have the time and the Senate has to dance with it --again, it will be like Cha-cha (Charter change). (But) we will not dance to it. Why? Because it will always be placed under a cloud of suspicion,” he said.
Gordon expressed belief that despite the hitches being experienced by the Comelec in accommodating new registrants, the poll body is still on track and that he no worries on that aspect.
But Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, chairman of the oversight committee on poll automation, shares the concerns raised by his colleagues who fear problems arising from a nationwide automation election.
“There are two looming problems in connection with automation which I have been mouthing for the longest time. One is failure of elections. Two is automated cheating. There is still cheating although this time, it will be automated cheating, no longer manual cheating. It is true we will have an election as scheduled, but how sure are we that we are ready for automation, to ensure at least that there will be no failure of elections. The courts cannot decide on this failure legally. What should be done is to ensure that the automated elections are implemented correctly and Comelec should have a back-up plan for manual polls in the event automation bombs out and elections cannot be conducted as desired.
Meanwhile, the Comelec itself appears unsure that Smartmatic-TIM, the winning consortium, can deliver the automated counting machines on time, as specified in the contract.
The poll body said it will be sending a technical team to Shanghai, China sometime next week for an inspection of the production of the PCOS -- numbering some 82,500 --for the 2010 polls.
Under the Smartmatic-Comelec contract, the consortium was scheduled to deliver the first batch of machines by end November. But it appears that the deadline has been extended, as the first batch is now expected to be delivered by end December.
Comelec is said to have advanced a lot of money to Smartmatic, even with a machine being delivered.
The original contract also stated that the machines would be manufactured by Jarltech, which is based in Taiwan, but again, there has been an alteration, as the machines would now be manufactured by a Shanghai-based company that is not known to manufacture these machines.
The task of the Comelec representatives is check if the production is on schedule and check as well on the availabilty of raw materials and that all of the other aspects of production is as scheduled, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.
He added that after the check and if there are signs of delays, Comelec will have sufficient time to set in motion remedial measures.
Source: http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20091105hed1.html
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