Infighting slowing 2004 preparations, official admits

It is messy and going nowhere fast, thanks to infighting.

Confirming the messy situation at the Commission on Elections that may result in chaotic elections come May 2004, the poll body’s newly appointed Education and Information Division (EID) chief yesterday described the voters’ education program as "zero" in the midst of infighting within the Comelec.

Comelec National Capital Region (NCR) Director Ferdinand Rafanan said he was not even sure if funds were allocated for his department, although Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos hinted during recent talks with "consultants" that Rafanan’s department may have a P5 million budget.

"There is an utter lack of information dissemination, but I have now accepted the challenge," Rafanan said at a voter’s education forum sponsored by Ateneo de Manila University’s (AdMU) Center for Community Services and Center for Social Policy and Public Affairs.

Rafanan made this admission as part of his policy of transparency and honesty, although he does so "with a sad heart."

Rafanan said he did not ask for his position at the Comelec and initially refused the post, though Abalos prevailed upon him to accept it and be sworn in Monday.

"I know I will offend some people at Comelec with this, but the (Comelec) commissioners are not on good terms with the senior staff," he said. "The directors feel alienated." The Comelec is a seven-man collegial body.

This was the first open admission by a Comelec official of the raging conflict within the poll body. Rafanan added that his press relations officer is even at odds with his information officer.

A few months ago, Comelec employees held mass actions against Abalos and his finance chief, Eduardo Mejos, for failing to release their uniform allowances. The resulting confrontation between Abalos and the employees degenerated into an ugly shoving and shouting incident.

Recently, The STAR published a report quoting an unnamed Comelec official predicting messy elections next year. Abalos reportedly eyed some of his directors as the source quoted in the report.

The STAR informant said poor information dissemination and lack of time and foresight will jeopardize the coming elections, considered the county’s most crucial polls due to the present instability.

Abalos has criticized The STAR’s report and called the unnamed source a doomsayer.

Rafanan complained of a lack of supplies for their field offices at the beginning of the ongoing registration and validation of voters for the 2004 polls.

He also said he turned down a recent proposal by a public relations consultant offering to conduct the much-needed and massive nationwide information dissemination drive for P200 million.

"There was even a budget proposal to write a book for P8 million," Rafanan said. "I told them, just give me P10,000 and I’ll write the book."

The candid Comelec official said he has apprehensions over allowing "outsiders" to handle their information dissemination campaign, since, after the elections, his men "would continue to be lazy and ignorant of their own work. Then, in the next elections, they (the public relations firm) will come to us again and ask (for) money to do our job."