Missing accurate
Very early this morning, I had the privilege of being a guest on
Prof. Winnie Monsod’s segment on Unang Hirit – the morning program of
GMA7. Not surprisingly, the topic of conversation was the temporary
restraining order issued by the Supreme Court, against the COMELEC’s bid
to purchase the PCOS machines we used in the 2010 elections.
Prof. Monsod opened and ended with the sentiment that the COMELEC, in
mentioning a return to manual elections, was using blackmail as a means
of forcing the acceptance of the COMELEC’s decision to buy the PCOS.
I disagree respectfully.
First of all, whenever the COMELEC speaks of a return to manual
elections, we also never fail to mention that we are completely against
that outcome; the COMELEC does not want to return to manual elections.
However, it is important to understand that manual elections will always
remain as a viable – but in extremis – option to conduct
elections. After all, if it really becomes impossible to automate, what
are we supposed to do? Sit on our thumbs and hope that no one notices?
Despite our dislike of it, manual elections are still better than no
elections at all.
Second, mentioning the possibility of a return to manual elections
has always been used as a means of underscoring the urgency of resolving
the question on the legality of the COMELEC’s exercise of the right to
purchase the PCOS. We have never said – nor will we ever say – that it’s
“option to purchase or else manual.” What we have repeatedly said is
that if the Court rules adversely – which means that the Court says the
use of the option to purchase is legally unsound – then we will conduct a
public bidding.
Just so we’re clear: Even though the COMELEC believes that it made
the right decision in exercising the option to purchase – and would of
course like to see that decision vindicated by the Court – what truly
matters is that the controversy be settled right away. And, again just
to be crystal clear, if the Court decides to nullify the COMELEC’s
exercise of the option to purchase, then the COMELEC’s intention is to
conduct a public bidding as soon as possible.
Where is the blackmail in that? If this were blackmail, as Prof.
Monsod claimed, then the COMELEC’s stance would be drastically
different.
And third, ever since it was announced that a TRO would be issued, we
have always said that we are asking the Court to rule on the main case
as soon as possible. Pressed to give a time-table, we’ve said the best
possible timing is to have a decision – whether yea or nay – out by
mid-May. Pressed even further, to forecast what will happen in case the
SC does not rule by May, we only say that “bidding will get
progressively more difficult the longer we have to wait for a decision.”
In other words, as far as we are able, we refuse to even consider not
going to bidding as an option at this stage.
If anything, the mention of a return to manual elections only
emphasizes the urgency of coming to a decision right away, whatever that
decision might turn out to be.
That’s the problem with the word “blackmail,” that Prof. Monsod chose
to use today: it scandalous, it’s easy to remember, and it will
certainly sound good as a soundbite. All of that, however, only makes it
an excellent rallying cry for the troops. Unfortunately, it misses
“accurate” by a mile and a half.
