I am hoping that the Comelec would be honest and courageous to confront and directly answer questions about the controversy in Compostela town where the result of the manual count of ballots retrieved from the last 2010 election don’t reflect the same count in the PCOS machine.
Former Mayor Richie Wagas asserted in the 888 News Forum that Smartmatic, the machine provider, certified that the serial number of the PCOS used in Compostela does not match the serial number of the PCOS officially assigned in the town. Apparently the PCOS machine in the town was switched. The Comelec unfortunately kept insisting the PCOS machines were tamper proof but has not explained the discrepancy in the PCOS machine assigned to Compostela.
So far I’ve seen no valid explanation from the Comelec,which hasn’t sent a competent expert to look into the Compostela experience.
Political parties should be wary about the PCOS machines used by the Comelec this May. There’s not assurance the devices can’t be manipulated.
I am hoping that the Comelec, the agency mandated by the Constitution to enforce election laws, would perform its duty here to ensure ballot count switching in Compostela isn’t repeated.
The Comelec is running after candidates for violating rules on postering of campaign materials instead of the PCOS machine. Kapatiran Party candidate for senator Marwil Llasos called it hocus pcos and reminded the Comelec to do its job to make the 2013 election honest, orderly and clean.
* * *
Recently the Supreme Court sacked four judges of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) for solemnizing marriages despite some irregularities. The Supreme Court showed it means serious business when it comes to disciplining erring officials of the court.
A few were not happy with the decision while others welcomed it as long overdue. A friend of mine once witnessed one of the judges solemnize a marriage. The jduge later brought his entire staff to the wedding party raising eyebrows of some guests.
I am happy with the decision and hope the Supreme Court runs after corrupt judges and lawyers in Cebu as well to restore the full trust of the people in our justice system.
* * *
Joavan Fernandez is at it again.
This time he allegedly shot a car shop watchman in the South Road Properties. Talisay Mayor Soc Fernandez defended his son, saying Joavan was inside a motel when the shooting happened shortly past midnight.
This is a familiar alibi, that he was somewhere else when the attack occured.
This time Joavan added his accusation that the shooting was a drama concocted by the ally of Mayor Soc, Congressman Eduardo Gullas.
If you following Joavan’s logic, Gullas is out to destroy the reputation of the mayor who is running for a seat in the Talisay city council in the same Alayon party as Gullas’ grandson reelectionist Councilor Eduardo Gullas III or Edigul.
Joavan claims that he’s been targeted for a demolition job to damage the standing of his father Mayor Soc in the city council ranking in order to make Edigul no. 1 in the May election.
Nobody believes the mayor and his son because the acts of violence by Joavan have happened several times before with the mayor coming to the rescue to defend and bail out his son.