Gordon wants Abalos impeached for P2.8-B waste
Sen. Richard Gordon yesterday called for the impeachment of Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. for allegedly wasting P2.8 billion in taxpayers’ money.
Gordon, a panelist at the weekly Kapihan sa Sulo media forum at the Sulo Hotel in Quezon City, said Abalos should be blamed for the loss by allowing automated counting machines (ACMs) that had been purchased for that price to rot in the Comelec.
“Don’t you think so?” he answered when asked whether Abalos should be impeached due to the wastage.
“He should be held responsible,” Gordon said.
The ACMs were bought by the government from Mega Pacific Consortium but have remained unused amid allegations that the purchase was highly disadvantageous to the government.
Comelec Commissioner Resureccion Borra later faced investigation for graft by the Office of the Ombudsman for his role in the procurement of the ACMs and was indicted by the Ombudsman but was later cleared, along with Abalos and the other commissioners by Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, who said “not an iota” of evidence exists to pin down Borra, Abalos and the commissioners.
Gordon, chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments, revision of codes and laws, also scored the Comelec for failure to implement the poll automation law that was enacted in 1997 yet.
“We are not asking them to perform a difficult task, but we have heard them say, ‘It can’t be done,’ countless times. But did they even try?’ the senator asked.
The Comelec not trying, Gordon said, speaks of “lack of foresight and action on (its) part” and “belies its mandate to implement election laws for free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections.”
In contrast, he pointed out, the poll body “insists on Internet voting when there is no law” that allows electronic voting.
The former mayor of Olongapo City, Zambales, said Abalos is also inefficient in stopping apparent political advertisements disguised as product endorsements on television by administration and opposition “senator-iables.”
Other politicians, Gordon noted, are silent on the apparent electioneering for fear that they would earn the wrath of the Comelec chairman especially in the May 14 mid-term elections this year.
At the same time, Gordon reiterated that the mid-term polls should be automated in order, he said, to curb, if not stop, cheating.
He wondered why the Comelec under Abalos cannot automate elections, when vote-counting machines and other election equipment could be leased or rented from computer companies if the machines stored by the Comelec are already rotten.
Gordon said the poll agency spends P329,355.26 a month in storage fees for the ACMs.
On another controversial electoral issue, Abalos has a ready explanation.
Military elements, he confirmed also yesterday, would be doing security duties during the May polls but only in exceptional cases.
His stand, the government-run Philippine News Agency (PNA) also yesterday said in a report, affirms the statement of new Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane at the latter’s first press conference midweek that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will be on poll duty if their assistance is solicited by the Comelec.
The Comelec upheld that such assistance may be sought particularly “in far-flung places, such as those in the embattled Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and so-called areas of utmost concern where politicians, PNA said, destroy each other.
“In such places, it would be most likely that military vehicles and aircraft would be requested to fly out election paraphernalia,” Abalos told PNA.
“Where there is an armed threat in a locality, the AFP assists,” he said.
According to him, the Comelec can deputize military personnel for that purpose, noting that this is already provided for in the Omnibus Election Code and reiterated by putting it in a memorandum of agreement (MoA).
Last year, Ebdane’s predecessor, Avelino Cruz Jr., inked the MoA with the Comelec on ground rules to observe before, during and after the elections on May 14.
In theory, Ebdane could disregard the 2006 Cruz-Abalos MoA but the new DND chief said he has chosen to be “flexible” about it.
The agreement was general in nature but within the terms of the Omnibus Election Code, which requires respect for the sanctity of the electoral process that would include securing the ballots themselves until they are accounted for in the canvassing stage.
Senators, party-list repre-sentatives and local government officials such as district legislators, governors, mayors and councilors will be voted for in the May 14 elections.
Barangay-level candidacies are excluded since they will be voted upon in a separate exercise scheduled in October also this year.
A key point in the MoA was that military facilities will no longer be allowed as voting or counting centers, as they had been in the past.
Also, the military cannot carry ballot boxes by themselves but will merely be escorting teachers and other civilian personnel deputized by the Comelec.
Under the MoA, military personnel will no longer be allowed as personal security escorts of candidates as they move about in their elections sorties.
In the past, hundred of reports of ballot boxes being snatched from unescorted poll workers in far-flung areas were confirmed. These led to violence and an ever-ending chain of electoral protests and counter-protests.
It was observed, PNA said, that there was a deterrence of snatching of election para-phernalia and boxes carried by poll workers who were escorted by AFP personnel.
Militants and administration critics have made issue of the appointment of Ebdane, a retired police general, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy.
The critics said President Arroyo had disregarded calls for a civilian to replace Cruz but, PNA noted, it is clear that Ebdane never joined the military services and was a career policeman, a civilian position.
Adding to the intrigues thrown at Ebdane is that as Defense chief, he will be working with AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr.
Both men were implicated in the so-called “Hello Garci” tape scandal that was the basis of failed impeachment proceedings against Mrs. Arroyo last year.
The government critics, particularly the President’s rival politicians, have said “clean, peaceful and honest elections” cannot be expected with Ebdane and Esperon in powerful positions vis-a-vis the May 14 polls.
Both Ebdane and Esperon have refused to comment on the intrigues, calling them “recycled, baseless issues.” Gerry Baldo and PNA
Gordon, a panelist at the weekly Kapihan sa Sulo media forum at the Sulo Hotel in Quezon City, said Abalos should be blamed for the loss by allowing automated counting machines (ACMs) that had been purchased for that price to rot in the Comelec.
“Don’t you think so?” he answered when asked whether Abalos should be impeached due to the wastage.
“He should be held responsible,” Gordon said.
The ACMs were bought by the government from Mega Pacific Consortium but have remained unused amid allegations that the purchase was highly disadvantageous to the government.
Comelec Commissioner Resureccion Borra later faced investigation for graft by the Office of the Ombudsman for his role in the procurement of the ACMs and was indicted by the Ombudsman but was later cleared, along with Abalos and the other commissioners by Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, who said “not an iota” of evidence exists to pin down Borra, Abalos and the commissioners.
Gordon, chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments, revision of codes and laws, also scored the Comelec for failure to implement the poll automation law that was enacted in 1997 yet.
“We are not asking them to perform a difficult task, but we have heard them say, ‘It can’t be done,’ countless times. But did they even try?’ the senator asked.
The Comelec not trying, Gordon said, speaks of “lack of foresight and action on (its) part” and “belies its mandate to implement election laws for free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections.”
In contrast, he pointed out, the poll body “insists on Internet voting when there is no law” that allows electronic voting.
The former mayor of Olongapo City, Zambales, said Abalos is also inefficient in stopping apparent political advertisements disguised as product endorsements on television by administration and opposition “senator-iables.”
Other politicians, Gordon noted, are silent on the apparent electioneering for fear that they would earn the wrath of the Comelec chairman especially in the May 14 mid-term elections this year.
At the same time, Gordon reiterated that the mid-term polls should be automated in order, he said, to curb, if not stop, cheating.
He wondered why the Comelec under Abalos cannot automate elections, when vote-counting machines and other election equipment could be leased or rented from computer companies if the machines stored by the Comelec are already rotten.
Gordon said the poll agency spends P329,355.26 a month in storage fees for the ACMs.
On another controversial electoral issue, Abalos has a ready explanation.
Military elements, he confirmed also yesterday, would be doing security duties during the May polls but only in exceptional cases.
His stand, the government-run Philippine News Agency (PNA) also yesterday said in a report, affirms the statement of new Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane at the latter’s first press conference midweek that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will be on poll duty if their assistance is solicited by the Comelec.
The Comelec upheld that such assistance may be sought particularly “in far-flung places, such as those in the embattled Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and so-called areas of utmost concern where politicians, PNA said, destroy each other.
“In such places, it would be most likely that military vehicles and aircraft would be requested to fly out election paraphernalia,” Abalos told PNA.
“Where there is an armed threat in a locality, the AFP assists,” he said.
According to him, the Comelec can deputize military personnel for that purpose, noting that this is already provided for in the Omnibus Election Code and reiterated by putting it in a memorandum of agreement (MoA).
Last year, Ebdane’s predecessor, Avelino Cruz Jr., inked the MoA with the Comelec on ground rules to observe before, during and after the elections on May 14.
In theory, Ebdane could disregard the 2006 Cruz-Abalos MoA but the new DND chief said he has chosen to be “flexible” about it.
The agreement was general in nature but within the terms of the Omnibus Election Code, which requires respect for the sanctity of the electoral process that would include securing the ballots themselves until they are accounted for in the canvassing stage.
Senators, party-list repre-sentatives and local government officials such as district legislators, governors, mayors and councilors will be voted for in the May 14 elections.
Barangay-level candidacies are excluded since they will be voted upon in a separate exercise scheduled in October also this year.
A key point in the MoA was that military facilities will no longer be allowed as voting or counting centers, as they had been in the past.
Also, the military cannot carry ballot boxes by themselves but will merely be escorting teachers and other civilian personnel deputized by the Comelec.
Under the MoA, military personnel will no longer be allowed as personal security escorts of candidates as they move about in their elections sorties.
In the past, hundred of reports of ballot boxes being snatched from unescorted poll workers in far-flung areas were confirmed. These led to violence and an ever-ending chain of electoral protests and counter-protests.
It was observed, PNA said, that there was a deterrence of snatching of election para-phernalia and boxes carried by poll workers who were escorted by AFP personnel.
Militants and administration critics have made issue of the appointment of Ebdane, a retired police general, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy.
The critics said President Arroyo had disregarded calls for a civilian to replace Cruz but, PNA noted, it is clear that Ebdane never joined the military services and was a career policeman, a civilian position.
Adding to the intrigues thrown at Ebdane is that as Defense chief, he will be working with AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr.
Both men were implicated in the so-called “Hello Garci” tape scandal that was the basis of failed impeachment proceedings against Mrs. Arroyo last year.
The government critics, particularly the President’s rival politicians, have said “clean, peaceful and honest elections” cannot be expected with Ebdane and Esperon in powerful positions vis-a-vis the May 14 polls.
Both Ebdane and Esperon have refused to comment on the intrigues, calling them “recycled, baseless issues.” Gerry Baldo and PNA
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