MANILA BULLETIN

by Marvyn N. Benaning

April 26, 2010, 6:02pm

Former vice president Teofisto Guingona Jr. and Bishop Leo Soriano of the United Methodist Church (UMC) have found common cause with ZTE whistleblower Jun Lozada in asking that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) show how it could guarantee clean, honest and credible elections next month.

Guingona, Soriano and Lozada last Friday filed a petition for mandamus before the Supreme Court (SC) to compel Comelec Chairman Jose Melo to publicly reveal the preparations for the country’s first computerized elections on May 10.

“Even without a Supreme Court order, the Comelec should exercise transparency in dealing with problems concerning the poll automation.

It is a public right to know, and it is the Comelec’s duty to properly inform the people,” Guingona said.

The petitioners said it is mandatory on the part of Comelec to reveal the preparations and contingency plans. It is for this reason they want the poll body to show to the public how it can handle problems that would arise on May 10.

Lozada, who has been a vocal critic of the Comelec and Smartmatic-Total Information Management Corp., said the filing of the petition was meant to make the people aware that such public right exists.

***Article as posted in the Manila Bulletin Website:

http://www.mb.com.ph/node/254737

Advertisement