'There will be elections in May'

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President Arroyo declared once again that there will be elections next year, as calls for her to abandon plans of staying in power mount with even former President Fidel Ramos issuing his own warning.

“In no uncertain terms, there will be elections in 2010,” she told reporters at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao a few hours after she arrived here yesterday from Egypt where she attended the 15th Non-Aligned Movement summit.

“Anybody who questions our resolve on this critical issue is undermining our country’s commitment to a vibrant democracy,” she told members of the League of Municipalities yesterday and thanked them for “advocating the need to fix our broken political system.”

Her critics said Mrs. Arroyo should categorically state that she was referring to presidential elections.

A successful Charter change bid by her allies in Congress would pave the way for a parliamentary form of government to be headed by a prime minister who would be chosen by elected members of the parliament.

On Thursday, Ramos told six presidential wannabes in a forum that they “cannot stay at the top forever.” His comments were seen as a veiled admonition to Mrs. Arroyo.

The President also hailed the Commission on Elections for putting in place automated polls for 2010.

“I congratulate the Comelec for pushing through with the automated

polls next year,” she said.

“I ask everybody to help Comelec succeed in the automation of our

elections next year,” she added.

She also assured Mindanaoans of representation in the administration’s Senate slate for next year’s elections.

“Somebody from Mindanao should be in the Senate slate to represent the aspiration of all Mindanaoans,” she said.

After the interview, the President met here with over 170 municipal mayors from Regions 11, 12 and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Getting the message

“I hope FVR is not only asking a favor,” Sen. Aquilino Pimentel said in reaction to the former president’s apparent swipe at Mrs. Arroyo.

For her part, Sen. Loren Legarda reminded the President that the Constitution is clear about presidential succession.

“GMA is mandated to step down on June 30, 2010. Anything after that will violate the Constitution,” Legarda said.

Sen. Pia Cayetano said the President should follow her predecessors’ example of relinquishing power after their terms ended.

“Mrs. Arroyo should learn from her predecessors like FVR and Cory Aquino who honorably and graciously stepped down and handed over the presidency at the end of their terms,” she said. 

“Even Erap knew when it was time to go when people power reached its tipping point,” Cayetano said, referring to ousted President Joseph Estrada.

Cayetano said Mrs. Arroyo “unfortunately has all the makings of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos who even had to be told by the US to cut and cut cleanly to prevent any bloodshed at EDSA in 1986.”

“And so we all should sternly warn GMA to abandon her con-ass... and to cut clean when her term expires in 2010,” Cayetano said. 

Precinct clustering hit

Meanwhile, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay said the clustering of poll precincts proposed by Comelec and Smartmatic-TIM is designed to confuse voters.

“The level of literacy, especially technological literacy, is still low particularly in the rural areas and the pace of the voting will be dictated not by how fast the machines can count the votes but by how fast the voters can locate their precincts and how fast they can fill up the new ballots,” Binay, who is also president of the United Opposition, said.

Binay said such a chaotic scenario would be advantageous to groups determined to sabotage the election.

“Those who are determined to sabotage the election for their selfish interest will find ways to exploit weaknesses in the new system. The clustering of precincts is one such weakness that the Comelec should address,” Binay said. – With Christina Mendez, Jose Rodel Clapano, Paolo Romero