True electoral reforms will only happen once Arroyo is gone

If I were to run, it will require a major political effort on my part. But since I’m among the principal figures in the divisive national events for the last two or three years, my political efforts can only result in never-ending divisiveness.

On the other hand, relieved of the burden of politics, I can devote the last year and half of my administration to the following:

First, strengthening economy; to create more jobs and to encourage business activities that is unhampered by corruption and red tape in government.

Second, healing the deep divisions within our society.

Third, working for clean and honest elections in 2004.

- Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Dec. 30, 2002

Back in December, Joker Arroyo called for the resignation of COMELEC officials, but it's not because of the GLORIAGATE election fraud scandal.

It's over the COMELEC's anomalous handling of it's election modernization program.

Joker ARroyo's Senate Blue Ribbon committee, where he is chairman, is not interested in investigating the election scandal or the wiretapping cases on ISAFP. The guy in fact has called for ending the GLORIAGATE probe.

The Black and White Movement has picked up Joker's recommendation and is now asking for the COMELEC commissioners resignation:

A Truth Forum on ELECTORAL REFORM sponsored by

The Black & White Movement

On January 13, 2004, the Supreme Court released its decision nullifying the contract signed by the COMELEC with Mega Pacific eSolutions, Inc., directing the Office of the Solicitor-General to exert all efforts to recover the money and the Ombudsman to “determine the criminal liability, if any, of the public officials (and conspiring private individuals, if any)” involved in the subject contract.

The Supreme Court decision is now two years old, yet nothing much has happened. The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has released Report No. 44 which recommends the resignation of the commissioners. The report further suggests that should the commissioners not resign, they can nonetheless be charged criminally by the Ombudsman.

Time is running out. If we want clean and credible elections and ultimately automate the process, then the COMELEC commissioners must resign. For as long as the present Commissioners remain, there is no hope for credible elections.

The Ombudsman must release their report and must elevate the case to the Sandiganbayan. NOW!

The Black and White Movement means well, but their reason for calling the COMELEC commissioners' resignation is insufficient, IMO. Walang serious na electoral reform na mangyayari if guys like Joker refuse to deal with the bigger issue of election rigging during the 2004 elections.

And by just focusing on the failed handling of the election modernization program, they're letting Arroyo and her commissioners off the hook on COMELEC's role in the massive dagdag bawas operations.

And we will not learn our lesson kasi kung akala lang natin na by using the automated machines, ayos na tayo, aba eh nagkakamali kayo diyan. Pwede ring dayain ang election using the counting machines kung gugustuhin talaga ng administration. Garbage in, garbage out.

Or kung ipapag-resign lang natin ang mga COMELEC commissioners without getting to the bottom of the GLORIAGATE operations--who were the COMELEC officials involved from top to bottom, how did they get away with it, who from the admin assisted the rogue COMELEC officials in rigging the elections--then the Arroyo admin will just appoint new partisan COMELEC officials who supports using the Automated Counting Machines, then Arroyo will call that "reform".

Isa-sakripisyo lang ni Arroyo yung mga commissioners niya at papalitan ng mga bagong Garcillano, Abalos at Barcelona.

But I guess this is what Joker wants. Suggesting cosmetic electoral reforms to get Arroyo off the hook, while refusing to go after all the COMELEC crooks and administration officials involved in the election rigging scandal.

Nice one Joker, but not so fast.

The only way really to have serious reforms in COMELEC is to boot out Arroyo and her COMELEC commissioners, and all those lower-ranking COMELEC officials involved in the GLORIAGATE operations.