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Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Elections to go on as scheduled: Abalos
* Gloria disagrees with plan to postpone polls, awaits SC decision on ACM contract
COMMISSION ON Election (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. assured Monday that the May 10 elections will go on as scheduled.
“You can’t postpone it. Tuloy na tuloy yan (It’s a go),” said Abalos.
Even Malacañang said the elections should push through, no matter what.
Abalos gave the assurance to allay fears that the elections will not push through due to the pending case before the Supreme Court (SC) that seeks to nullify the contract that would automate the counting system.
Abalos said even with the pending petition filed with the High Court and the question on whether to partially automate the elections would not stop the commission from conducting the political exercise four months from now.
Although he admits that it is possible for the Comelec to move the May
10 elections, Abalos said they would rather hold the elections in its original date as this gives them enough time to prepare.
A group of information technology experts filed a petition before the
High Tribunal seeking the nullification of the contract awarded to Mega
Pacific eSolutions on the purchase of the 1,991 automated counting machines (ACMs).
In its petition, the Information Technology Foundation of the Philippines (ITFP) said the contract awarded to Mega Pacific should be mollified because the winning bidder failed to comply with the technical requirements of the commissioner.
No to postponement
President Arroyo is waiting for the SC to decide on the petition filed by the ITFP before acting on the Joint Congressional Resolution (JCR) on selective automation.
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Arroyo will “neither veto nor approve” the JCR because she feels that it would be resolved by the SC.
The JCR, which was received by Malacañang last December 15, would automatically lapse into law if not acted upon after 30 days.
He said the SC decision on ACM contract will have “very serious implications” on the joint resolution. He said there is a possibility that the SC decision would render it moot and academic.
“But we are not speculating what the decision of the SC would be in a few days or in a week’s time,” he said.
This developed as Arroyo said in a statement that her administration will make sure that the May 10 elections will push through as scheduled.
“I disagree with any plan to defer or postpone the elections,” she said. Marie Neri/SCT
(January 13, 2004 issue)
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