|
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Carvajal: Electoral reform: mother of all reforms
By Orlando P. Carvajal
The appointment of former Supreme Court chief justice Hilario Davide Jr. as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s adviser on electoral reforms is ostensibly a good move, a step in the right direction. Yet, as some suspect, this could be just a PR job meant to lull people into the false belief that something is being done by way of electoral reforms. After all, nothing, as in nothing, has been done so far to reform the electoral system.
Yet, there are many issues on electoral reforms that PGMA can address immediately using her executive power and her control of Congress. To mention a few…
First, there is the limit on spending before, during and after the campaign for election. Everybody cheats here. Every candidate spends more than what is allowed and everybody knows that. Okay, so make that most everybody.
Second, there’s the limit on the campaign period. Again, most everybody cheats here. The winners even start campaigning for re-election as soon as they take office by painting their names on government vehicles, buildings and projects.
Third, there’s the issue of the voter’s ID. The most compelling reason why so much cheating can happen during elections is the chaotic registration system. It is so chaotic you would think it can only be intentional.
For instance, a year or so ago we rushed the registration of old and new voters. How many were disenfranchised by that process, we do not know. How many rose from the dead to get registered as a voter in that exercise, we also do not know. All I know is I have not received my voter’s ID, I do not know when I will receive it or whether I’ll ever receive it. Nothing has been heard of about it ever since.
Finally, there’s the Comelec. They’re no angels either, so who watches them? The joke going around now is that nobody gets elected anymore. Our officials in government are now “comelected.”
It’s clear as crystal that there is rampant cheating during elections.
You have to live in the moon not to know this. And unless we came up with a fraud-proof electoral system, no cha-cha, no new form of government can help us because, anyway, that government will still be run by cheats who can be expected to continue to cheat in office.
And there’s the rub. How can we get our politicians to institute reforms in the electoral system when that very system allows them to get into power easily through fraud?
The dilemma, though huge, has somehow to be resolved. Electoral reform is crucial because we need to make sure that people vote their officials into office as in any truly democratic system. Filipinos don’t want cheats in office.
It’s the present electoral system that gets them into power without a genuine mandate from the people. And look at the havoc they’re wreaking on this country.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (January 28, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
