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Philippines Election to Go Ahead as Planned, Commission Says
May 05, 2010, 1:39 AM EDT

By Francisco Alcuaz Jr. and Clarissa Batino

May 5 (Bloomberg) -- The Philippines will vote for a new president as planned on May 10, Commission on Elections Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said, rejecting suggestions problems with the electronic ballot machines would cause a delay.

“Postponement is not an option,” Larrazabal said in a televised briefing in Manila today. “That’s not on the table.”

Stocks had their biggest drop in 11 months and bonds and the peso also fell after it was found that software in the vote- tallying programs was flawed and that thousands of chips needed to be replaced. While the Commission on Elections yesterday said it would be able to repair the faults in time, the National Movement for Free Elections, a poll-watching organization, and political analysts said it may be impossible.

“Investors are trimming their holdings and will be on the sidelines in the next couple of weeks” because of the uncertainty, said Lito Mercado, head of trading at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. in Manila. “Whoever wins, the loser will think he has enough reason to protest.”

The nation is holding its first computerized elections to reduce cheating that occurred in tallying ballots by hand that took weeks. Namfrel and other groups have been warning that delayed delivery and inadequate testing of the machines raised the risk they will fail or produce erroneous results.

Commission on Elections Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said in a televised briefing today the country “will have elections on May 10” as scheduled.

Senator Benigno Aquino, who leads in the polls, last week said his supporters would take to the streets if “the people’s will is frustrated.”

Bond Yield

The yield on the 6.5 percent dollar-denominated bonds due January 2020 jumped 13 basis points to 5.411, the biggest rise in yields since Feb. 5 at 12:59 p.m. according to prices from ING Groep NV.

The cost of protecting Philippine bonds from default rose 14 basis points today to 182.5 points, the highest since March 30, according to prices from HSBC Holdings Plc.

The Philippine Stock Index had its biggest drop in more than nine months. The benchmark was down 3.5 percent at 3,176.85 at the 1 p.m. close in Manila.

The peso fell as much as 0.9 percent to 45.035 against the U.S. dollar, its weakest since April 5. .

“The whole automated process is already compromised,” said Bobby Tuazon, director of the Center for People Empowerment in Governance in Manila. “Many flash cards may not reach their destinations. Many areas will have to go manual again. More things will happen in the days leading up to the election.”

‘Hopeful’

President Gloria Arroyo’s spokesman Gary Olivar said the government is hopeful “technical issues will be resolved.” Agence France Presse earlier reported him as saying the elections may have to be delayed.

“Postponing elections never crossed our mind,” presidential adviser for political affairs Prospero Pichay said in a televised briefing today in Manila. “The palace, the executive body, is not entertaining the thought.”

Romulo Macalintal, an election lawyer who has worked for President Arroyo, said he has suggested a 15-day delay to the Commission on Elections. He clarified he wasn’t speaking for Arroyo.

“To ensure a clean, honest political exercise, there’s a need for the commission to see that everything is fixed,” he said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel.

Philippine peso: TPGA <Crncy> GP <GO>




On May 6, 2010, In Arroyo admin, Automated Election, COMELEC, Failure of Elections, in the News

Palace backpedals on option to postpone poll
By RG Cruz
ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines – A spokesman of President Arroyo on Wednesday backpedaled on his earlier statement expressing support for a delay in the automated elections on Monday over glitches in preparations.

Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar earlier told Agence France-Presse that the May 10 elections may need to be delayed because of technical problems with vote counting machines.

“I would imagine that the success of the automation… is more important than the timing. Nobody benefits from a foul up… if technical issues require more time and require us to delay, that is not an unreasonable judgment to make,” Olivar told AFP.

Olivar’s statements, coupled with the proposal of President Arroyo’s election lawyer to postpone the election for 15 days, was promptly rejected by the Commission on Elections who assured the public that the automated poll will push through next Monday.

During the daily afternoon briefing with Palace media, Olivar softened his stance and said Malacañang will defer to the Comelec’s decision on the matter.

“This started as a position of the President’s election lawyer, but ang posisyon ng palasyo is to defer to the Comelec. Even lawyers and IT experts seem to have different points of view on whether we can postpone or as a technical matter,” he told reporters.

He also said Arroyo’s election lawyer Romulo Macalintal was speaking for himself and not his client when he proposed that elections be postponed for 15 days.

“I’m not aware (na) nagpakita ng negative reaction si Pangulo…Macalintal’s comment is his statement as a lawyer. He has other clients. I don’t think he intended to speak for the president,” he said.

Presidential adviser on political affairs Prospero Pichay Jr. said the administration never wanted a delay or cancellation of the elections set on Monday.

“We haven’t really thought of postponing elections. It never crossed our mind that’s the stand of Malacañang. May election code. We are not entertaining thoughts of postponing the election. We’re anticipating elections will happen Monday,” he said.

He added: “We have to give Comelec a chance.”

Pichay and Olivar welcomed news that the Comelec has finally decided that elections will push through as scheduled on Monday.

Olivar also urged some groups to stop spreading talk about an alleged plot by President Arroyo to stay in power through the sabotage of elections.

Progressive partylist Anakpawis on Wednesday said all sectors and groups must unite to stop RAFAEL (Retain Arroyo through Failure of Elections) and NOEL (No Elections) scenarios being pushed by Malacañang.

“Sana tanggalin political noise at bangayan. Rafael — this is political. Noise na tingin namin muli na naman sinasangkot Pangulo. Hindi naman siya tumatakbo for national office,” he said.

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