Diocese wants to be accredited as poll watchdog

MANILA, Philippines - Archbishop of Lipa Ramon Arguelles is asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to accredit his archdiocese as a poll watchdog.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said Arguelles had written him a letter seeking accreditation for the Archdiocese of Lipa, Batangas.

“I’m going to tell him that we are through with our accreditation,” he said.

Brillantes said he will suggest to Arguelles to tie up with accredited poll watchdogs.

“Since they don’t want to work with Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections, there is still One Vote,” he said.

Monsignor Joselito Asis, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) secretary-general, said yesterday individual bishops can decide if they would want to follow the lead of the Archdiocese of Lipa and sever ties with the PPCRV.

“Even before there was already a mandate that the PPCRV would work with the diocese as its citizen’s (election) arm,” he said.

“As of last meeting there was no mention, so that means the mandate of the PPCRV as the citizen’s arm of CBCP for the election is as is. Now it is up to the bishop or diocese to decide if they would continue (cooperation with the PPCRV).”

In a statement, Archbishop of Cebu Jose Palma, CBCP president, said he would have to seek the consensus of the Permanent Council or their regional representatives on the matter.

“I could not speak in behalf of the body,” he said.

“Hence I cannot give further mandates to PPCRV since its mandate has already been defined.”

Other dioceses have come up with their own election watchdogs.

The Archdiocese of Cebu has the Cebu-Citizens Involvement and Maturation in Peoples Empowerment and Liberation (C-Cimpel) in place  of PPCRV.

Last Wednesday, the Archdiocese of Lipa disassociated itself from PPCRV after learning they are barred from seeing the contents of the fourth copy of the automated election returns.

The clergy of Lipa lost their confidence in PPCRV, particularly its objectivity in being a poll watchdog.

PPCRV chair Henrietta de Villa said the council respects the decision of Arguelles.