Sees the need for the urgency of ARMM Automated Polls Take Electoral Medicine Now, says Gordon

Senator Richard Gordon, Chairman of Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws sees urgency in implementing the automated elections for Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

"There is time to implement automated elections for ARMM by August, but it is still a matter of urgency. The longer it takes to implement computerized elections the more people will doubt the legality of the vote. What's at stake is our right to call ourselves a democracy", said Gordon.

Gordon insisted that: "We don't have time to play games. We have an ailing counting manual system. When a doctor says you'll die in six months without medicine, you'd be stupid to wait ten years before taking the medicine. We need to take our electoral medicine now and automate the vote, starting with ARMM in August."

The senator added that automating elections in the ARMM, as a trial run for computerized national election in 2010, will not only encourage peace and security in the region but also reduce the threat to teachers' lives and help schools provide essential computer equipment for students.

"The present manual system belongs back in the 18th century. It is archaic, open to abuse and abused. It takes too long to get a result, and time taken to count the votes encourages dagdag-bawas and other electoral fraud" says Gordon. "If people feel they have been cheated, that their right to honest elections has been taken away from them, they have no trust in the system of government and they become prey to insurgency. They feel that violence is the only way to achieve their rights."

Automated elections are virtually fraud-proof and accurate results are known within hours, removing the opportunity for poll fraud. It also means that teachers spend less time exposed to potential electoral violence.

"There has been enough foot dragging, dramatics and scandals at the Commission on Elections. Introducing automated elections has been a law for a decade, but it's been flouted in every election since 1999. Whether or not it is done will be a reflection on whether or not the COMELEC is really committed to protecting the future of our people or maintaining the traditional system of the past and the colonial era ills it represents. We want the right people for the job. " He said.

The COMELEC has shown little enthusiasm to implement the law since 2004 when the Supreme Court voided a contract for nearly 2,000 automatic counting machines at a cost of 1.1bn pesos and told COMELEC to get its money back from the manufacturer.

"We don't need those sorts of expensive machines. Ordinary PCs with locally available software will do the job better and cheaper. Once the elections are over, the PCs can stay in the schools to provide much-needed facilities for students. It will empower ARMM's brightest and best to reach their full potential for their families, their communities and their country." He disclosed.