Socialists press Congress to act on Abalos impeachment

Social democrats challenged lawmakers yesterday to act on the impeachment complaint filed against Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos if they really want to bring back credibility to the electoral process.

The Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas (PDSP) said legislators should ensure the credibility of next year’s election and "this could only happen if poll officials linked to fraud and other anomalies are removed."

PDSP spokesman lawyer Jose Ricafrente urged lawmakers "with a conscience" to sponsor the complaint so that the impeachment process against the Comelec chief could begin.

"It (the impeachment complaint) needs only one signature, just one sponsor to get the investigation going. Is there no one in Congress courageous enough, or who cares enough to save the poll agency from ignominy?" Ricafrente asked.

Several months ago, lawyer Oliver Lozano filed an impeachment complaint against Abalos before the House of Representatives in connection with the anomalous purchase of automated counting machines worth P1.2 billion which the Supreme Court nullified because it was overpriced.

The complaint was set aside by the House secretary general because no congressman would endorse it.

"The social democratic party renewed its call for the cleansing of the Comelec in the light of fresh allegations that Abalos knew about cheating done during the 2004 elections but did nothing to stop it," the PDSP said.

Malacañang refused to comment on calls for the ouster of Abalos and other poll officials allegedly involved in irregularities, adding only that they should be given due process in any investigation.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said it would "not be fair" for him to comment on issues affecting the head of a constitutional body even as he maintained that no cheating contributed to President Arroyo’s victory in the May 2004 elections.

"We must say that statements of that nature trying to link the Comelec (to irregularities) are really part of trying to disturb the thinking of the people but this is an issue that’s supposed to have been resolved before," Ermita said, referring to opposition statements.

If congressmen ignore Lozano’s complaint, Ricafrente said another impeachment complaint could be filed against Abalos.

He noted that the need for real reforms in the Comelec had become more urgent because of fresh accusations that Abalos was behind the alleged illegal operations of former commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.

The group said that several weeks ago, Comelec Commissioner Resurreccion Borra reportedly admitted that there had been cheating during the 2004 elections.

"How can we expect the conduct of next year’s elections to be clean, honest and believable when the credibility of poll officials is in doubt? How can the people believe once again in the sanctity of the ballot if officials tainted by anomalies continue to run the poll body?" Ricafrente said. — James Mananghaya, Paolo Romero