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Re-engineering the COMELEC
by Patrick I. Patiño •
Friday, Jul. 30, 2004 at 10:48 PM
Why did President Macapagal-Arroyo re-instate the two new members of the Commission on Elections (Comelec)? Commissioners Virgilio Garcillano and Manuel Barcelona Jr. were appointed by the president in January to replace the commissioners who retired. The two appointees were never confirmed by the congressional Committee on Appointments. Because of the controversies surrounding their credibility, the public expected that Macapagal-Arroyo would not re-appoint them.
Is this a sign of misfortune for electoral reforms under the new administration? The appointment of the new commissioners in January injected an element of doubt to the Comelec, whose credibility is a keystone in any electoral exercise. Senator Aquilino Pimentel accused Garcillano of cheating by padding and shaving votes during the 1995 senatorial polls. Pimentel also charged that “Barcelona is a partisan member of the Gloria Bantay Bayan, a pro-Arroyo organization that has contributed funding to the President’s campaign, while Garcillano had allegedly accepted and distributed money to other Comelec officials in past elections,” as reported in the Manila Times.
The recent election, which is supposed to be the most obvious expression of the sovereignty of the people and the participation of citizens, manifested in more atrocious form the dysfunctional electoral system of the country. There were around 900,000 voters who could not find their name, precincts or polling place on election day, or in other words, were disenfranchised. The election period was sprayed with blood of 182 deaths from election-related violence. Voting was chaotic and voting was suspended in a number of areas either because of absence of election materials or intense threat of violence. The canvassing of votes was slow and dagdag-bawas (vote padding in favor of a candidate and vote-shaving against a candidate) was the name of the game. The brouhaha in the entire exercise would have been minimized if the country has a functioning Comelec, one that can prepare voters’ list and count the votes with a modicum of competence. But longing for what might have been, had the Comelec done a better job, has become an exercise in futility.
People hang on to the belief that elections don’t change their lives, yet we know that the electoral process is still a building block to democracy. The nation cannot anymore afford of the usual electoral failings come next elections. This is especially the concern of the growing numbers of young and critical voters.
The 2004 elections cry loudly for radical reforms such as the serious and transparent implementation of the automated election system; strengthening and giving meaning to the role of political parties; regulating the campaign contributions and expenses; amendment to the Party-list law; implementation of the local Sectoral representation and re-engineering the Comelec.
The electoral playing field favored to the victory of President Arroyo. But by having a tainted mandate, the president is also a victim of the flawed and obsolete rules of the elections. President Macapagal-Arroyo has to move decisively and forthrightly in pushing for electoral reforms until the next elections. Besides the broadening advocacy and constituents for electoral reform, there are political opportunities to push forward. Still, the first step is that the President should overcome her trapo politics.
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