COMELEC Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, Chairman Jose Melo and Robin Padilla
Amid talks of a looming postponement of the 11 August 2008 automated elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), a confident Commission on Elections Chairman Jose A.R. Melo appeared before members of the media this afternoon to announce that the “automation of the ARMM elections is on.”
“Itutuloy-tuloy na natin ito. At sa aking palagay, there will be no postponement of the ARMM elections,” the COMELEC chief declared, eliciting a loud applause from a packed session hall at the poll body’s main office in Manila.
Chairman Melo was speaking at a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing between the COMELEC and technology provider Avante International Technology Inc. for the conduct of a massive voter education drive in the ARMM in line with the regional polls next month. Actor Robin Padilla, a renowned peace advocate and election automation supporter, was there to witness the signing. Also present are Senator Richard Gordon and PPCRV President Henrietta de Villa.
Padilla: Abante ARMM!
“Sana po huwag na,” Padilla said when asked by reporters to react on the possible deferment of the ARMM polls. “Kailangan na po ito ngayon na. Kasi kung atras-abante po tayo, ay puro kalungkutan ang mangyayari. Abante na tayo, wala nang atras!”
Abante ARMM!
“Atin pong suportahan ang otomasyon ng eleksyon, dahil naniniwala po ako na dito mag-uumpisa ang tunay na progreso ng bansa. Sa pamamagitan din ng otomasyon, magaganap na po ang sinasabi nating progreso at kapayapaan sa Mindanao,” the popular actor said.
Senator Gordon for his part said that with the upcoming automated ARMM elections, the country “is now on the eve of electoral greatness.”
“Because hopefully our democracy will speak the truth, and it will speak fast and efficiently… We’ll see the end to transactions in our politics, transactions in our elections, transactions in our count,” he said.
“Sa ngayon po, mayroon tayong Commission on Elections that we can be very proud of – may bagong mukha na sa eleksyon, para bang bagong hilamos ika nga,” said de Villa who heads one of the poll body’s accredited citizens arm, PPCRV.
After the MOA signing, the COMELEC Commissioners together with Sen. Gordon and PPCRV President de Villa, proceeded to witness the final canvassing and consolidation of the Maguindanao mock election results. Smartmatic-Sahi Spokesman Vince Dizon reported that “in less than an hour, all election results from Maguindanao have been electronically transmitted.” ###
