How easily voters forget

Five days have passed since we held our automated election on May 13.

But only six winners in the senatorial race have been proclaimed, while the counting of votes in many city, town and provinces are not yet over.

Automated elections means that results will be known within 24 hours after the closing of the polling precincts.

What’s the use of holding an automated election if the results are not known in 24 hours?

We might as well go back to manual counting.

* * *

The honorable commissioners of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) got into a contract with a company of dubious reputation to operate the election machines.

Some of these machines broke down at a time when they should not, giving truth to Murphy’s Law that anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

But we should not blame Murphy’s Law but the greed for money.

Like other government officials, such as those at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Comelec officials are also prey to the need for a fast buck.

The heck with what the public will say.

* * *

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes threatens to hale to court critics of  Monday’s automated balloting which he described as “one of the best elections” in the country.

The last time I heard, this country was still a democracy and government officials could be criticized for their inefficiency or corruption.

If Brillantes can’t stand criticism, why doesn’t he resign?

If he can’t stand the heat he should get out of the kitchen.

* * *

As to Brillantes’ claim that the election just concluded was “one of the best,” who was he talking to?

He was probably talking to his dog which just wagged its tail as he was making the claim.

Brillantes said that Smartmatic, the company that operated the machines, had its faults.

“They are not saints. Of course, they will make mistakes. Even us (Comelec commissioners), we also had a lot of errors,” said the Comelec chief.

“We had a lot of errors.” Such as what, Mr. Chairman?

* * *

Dick Gordon is hanging by the thread in the electoral count and might not get elected senator this time around.

He is trailing behind Greg Honasan, a former coup plotter, who’s No. 12 in the “Magic 12.”

Gordon is a former senator who spoke his mind even if it hurt his party mates.

He is  the former Olongapo City mayor who kept order in what was once known as “sin city.”

He is a former czar of the Subic Bay Freeport who strictly imposed road courtesy and discipline.

As chair of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Gordon convinced foreign companies to make the former US Navy base their headquarters in Asia.

He is a former secretary of tourism who brought in hundreds of thousands of tourists into the country because of his aggressive campaign abroad.

As chair of the Philippine National Red Cross, Gordon is always first at the scene of a national disaster. His presence reassured calamity victims that everything would turn out all right. How easily voters forget.