Pimentel says Comelec chair must review ‘problematic’ election system

COMELEC VOTE COUNTING MACHINE January 25, 2016 Comelec employees demonstrate the new Vote Counting Machines (VCM) at the Pope Pius XII conference hall as part of the Comelec’s roadshow to showcase the VCM’s new security features. INQUIRER PHOTO/ ALEXIS CORPUZ”

MANILA, Philippines —Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said on Thursday he was hoping that the chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) was not satisfied with the current election system and now thinking it’s time to initiate reforms.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has recently appointed his former election lawyer George Garcia as interim Comelec chair.

“Sana ‘yung leader ng Comelec ay reformer na dapat hindi rin siya happy sa sistemang nangyayari,” Pimentel said on Teleradyo’s On the Spot.

(I hope Comelec’s leader is a reformer who is unhappy with the current system.)

“Kasi kung happy siya ay walang mangyayari kasi ang unang step in solving a problem is to realize that we have a problem,” he added.

(Because if he is happy, nothing will change as the first step in solving a problem is to realize that we have a problem.)

According to Pimentel, a review of the election system, including the automated counting, is needed.

“Ang pagbilang kasi is totally automated na kailangan palakpakan na lang natin kung ano ‘yung ni-report ng computer na resulta,” he said.

(The vote counting is totally automated, which means you have to applaud the result reported from the computer.)

“‘Yan, isa rin sa dapat bukas ang Comelec at Kongreso to review it. Hybrid siguro kasi kailangan makita na ng taumbayan sa presinto kung sino ‘yung panalo sa bilang,” the senator continued.

(The Comelec and Congress should be open to reviewing it. A hybrid setup may be needed so that the people could see the winner in their precincts.)

The May 9 national elections resulted in the victory of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as he received over 31 million votes.

JMS/abc