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Thursday, October 23, 2003
Joy hits back at BLM
By Christine Mae A. Pelayo
MAYOR Luzviminda Valdez brushed off the Bacolod Liberation Movement’s claims she will not provide funds for the purchase of Automated Counting Machines for next year’s elections.
“They (BLM) are not listening, they are just creating an issue,” said Valdez of BLM’s call for the CityCouncil to appropriate funds for the acquisition of the ACMs.
In their statement, the group earlier expressed concern over reports the City Government will not allocate funds for the purchase of ACM units.
“Her (Valdez) refusal can only be viewed in the context of the 2001 elections, which was obviously attended by massive fraud and which understandably resulted in her proclamation as mayor notwithstanding the fact that she trailed all the leading candidates in the surveys and all throughout the counting,” BLM said.
Valdez, however, said when she received a communication from the Commission on Elections national office about the purchase of ACMs, she immediately referred the matter to the Local Finance Committee.
She added the committee informed her that it would be viable for the city to buy eight ACMs in the amount of P5.5 million.
“If they wanted to check with Comelec, we have already forwarded our official commitment as early as August or September,” Valdez dared BLM.
Moreover, Valdez said the city informed Comelec that instead of 12 ACMs that cost P10 million, the city will purchase only eight.
“This was the commitment we gave Comelec. If this will not be included in the Supplemental Budget, definitely it will be included in next quarter’s request to the council,” she said.
Problems
On the other hand, Valdez disclosed that some members of the League of Cities have problems due to Comelec’s recent announcement that they will provide automation only to four selected areas.
These are Davao, Cebu, Manila and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.
Bacolod was not included among the selected areas for automation even though the city already committed the payment of P5.5 million for ACMs.
Valdez said she asked Mayor Francis Tolentino, league president, to take up the issue in their last quarter meeting.
She also disclosed that there is a problem with the winning bidder where Local Government Units and Comelec purchase ACMs.
“The problem is not with the money but with the machines because during the first demonstration of the ACMS, there were different results. There is really something to fear for,” Valdez said.
(October 23, 2003 issue)
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