SENATOR Francis Escudero lauded Wednesday the Supreme Court (SC) decision affirming the Commission on Election rules requiring survey firms Social Weather Station (SWS) and Pulse Asia to disclose the subscribers, payors and commissioners of their pre-election surveys.
Escudero said that it is for sake of fairness and transparency that these subscribers, payors and commissioners be revealed considering that they are being published and have a big influence on the voting public.
He added that both the Social Weather Station and Pulse Asia represent themselves to conduct a scientific and statistical survey and in order that the credibility of the survey can be established.
Escudero even went further in asking the survey firms to also divulge the survey questions asked of respondents and the exact answer to the survey.
Recently the Supreme Court upheld the Comelec ruling requiring the two survey firms to disclose the identity of the commissioners.
But the high court struck down the power bestowed by the Comelec on itself to investigate and prosecute the two firms for violation of the Fair Elections Act over failure to comply with the order under Comelec
Resolution 9674.
The SC partially granted the petition filed by SWS and Pulse Asia in July 2013 assailing the resolution issued by the Comelec in April 2013, which paved the way for the filing of election offense charges against them.
"Comelec is enjoined from prosecuting petitioners for their supposed violation of Comelec Resolution No. 9674 in respect of their non-submission of the names of all commissioners and payors, including subscribers, of surveys published during the campaign period for the 2013 elections,” read the ruling promulgated by the justices after a unanimous vote recently.
The high court, however, denied the prayer of the survey firms to void and nullify the assailed resolution for being unconstitutional.
Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito said he is in favor to divulge the identity of the commissioners and subscribers to erase doubts and malice.
A leader of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) also lauded the decision of the high tribunal.
Bishop Broderick Pabillo, chairman of the CBCP – Permanent Committee on Public Affairs (PCPA), said the ruling supports transparency, especially during the election season.
"That is a welcome development for transparency so that the people may know how to react and view the surveys," said the Manila Auxiliary bishop.
Likewise, Henrietta de Villa, Chairperson of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) shared the Catholic priest's statement,
"It will promote transparency to these surveys, which can influence voters in their choice of candidates to vote for," she said.
On the other hand, the Comelec has yet to issue a comment since they have not received a copy of the ruling. (With FP/Sunnex)