Palace urges Congress: Avoid protracted count

Malacañang assured opposition lawmakers yesterday that they would get "all reasonable leeway" in the canvass of the votes for president and vice president after Congress convened in joint session yesterday as the National Canvassing Board.

"We are pleased that Congress continues to iron out its internal disagreements in connection with the rules governing the canvassing of votes," Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said in a statement from Malacañang yesterday.

"We are giving the opposition all reasonable leeway to do its job, but we are concerned about the effect of a protracted canvass upon our political and economic stability," he said.

Bunye said the administration hopes that opposition lawmakers would not elevate to the Supreme Court the dispute over whether a 14-man committee, and not the entire Congress, would sit as the board of national canvassers.

"We have full faith and confidence (in) the leadership of both houses, and we believe after initial fireworks during these first two days, things will settle down and they will agree on the rules of canvass," he said.

"I believe we have leaders in both houses of Congress who will see to it that the canvass is conducted in very transparent, fair, equitable and expedient manner."

Bunye said lawmakers belonging to the pro-administration Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, along with Mrs. Arroyo’s allies in the Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan would act to ensure that the country’s stability will not be impaired.

"I believe leaders of Congress will be controlling or they will try to temper the actuation of some of their colleagues," he said.

Bunye said Congress must continue with its canvass of the votes for president and vice president unless stopped by the Supreme Court.

"It is important to balance the imperatives of transparency and expeditiousness, both of which are important to the public interest," he said.

"We are confident in the capacity of both the administration and opposition leaders to resolve these imperatives. We must have faith in the process and the forbearance to allow democracy to run its course."— Marichu Villanueva