Those election protests

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The lament of an anti-graft organization against the alleged failure of the Commission on Election to resolve any of the electoral protests filed with it is dismaying to the Filipino people, but not at all surprising to them.

A report in a national paper yesterday said the group called the Center for Anti-Graft and Corruption Prevention Inc. has pointed out that the electoral body has, so far, not resolved any of about 73 electoral protests filed with its Electoral Contest Adjudication Division. And the elections were held in May last year yet, which means that almost eight months have now gone by without any of the protestors, whatever their complaints are, favored with a decision on his or her case.

We say this is not surprising because we know of so many protests that had taken almost the entire term supposed to be served by the protestor, had the decision come out in his favor. Some resolutions had been issued on the very verge of the next election. This would not be so hurting if the Comelec decision is against the protestor, but if he is found to have won his protest, it could be a painful matter, indeed.

What recourse does the candidate who finds out he has won and there is no longer any time left for him to serve? Can he sue the Comelec, and what can he get out of it?

If the claims of the Center about a “zero” performance of the Comelec are correct, what excuses can the office offer? The division in charge of protests, the ECAD, claims resolutions take a long time because they have to check and examine every ballot. Its spokesperson admitted that each protest takes them about two years to resolve, and they even have a record for three years! Is that all?

Is it such a big wonder then, that some frustrated candidates or their followers resort to “extra-legal” ways of resolving their cases? And, other than those excuses, why has the Comelec not given hope to complainants by telling us all what it is doing to speed up the process?*