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Monday, May 28, 2007
Problems ‘show need for poll reforms’
MANILA -- The Arroyo administration said Sunday the failure of the special elections in parts of Lanao del Sur stresses the urgency to reform the antiquated electoral system in the country.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said, however, that they would leave it to the appropriate agencies, particularly the Commission on Elections (Comelec), to address the problem.
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Ermita said the Comelec, being an independent constitutional body, would know how to handle the situation, including decide on whether another special elections would be held.
He said they are just hoping and praying that the special elections would be peaceful.
“Let the Comelec handle that. We don’t want critics of the government to accuse us again of interfering in the affairs of the election body,” he said.
Team Unity spokesman and Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano said that if there is anything to be learned from the conduct of the May 14 elections and the special elections in Lanao is that the country needs to push for the electoral reforms.
Durano said the antiquated electoral system of the country only demonstrated that it could not cope with the logistical demands of conducting an election, particularly in an archepelagic setting where voters are spread over thousands of islands.
“For this reason, the delays are understandable especially in remote areas,” he said.
The Comelec declared Saturday’s special elections in some Mindanao provinces as generally peaceful despite the failure of elections in the town of Butig, five barangays of Pualas and one barangay in Lumba-Bayabao, which accounts for about 12,000 voters.
In Pualas in particular, armed men fired at an Army truck escorting teachers who were delivering election materials to the five barangays.
Power outages were also reported in some areas, forcing the postponement of elections in some precincts.
Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, who is in Lanao to supervise the special elections, said problems had been ironed out and the special elections have been reset to Sunday. (JMR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (May 28, 2007 issue)
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