Namfrel presses nod as Comelec citizens’ arm

Jose Concepcion Jr., national chairman of the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) expressed his concern to Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Harriet Demetriou, over the delay in Comelec’s accreditation of Namfrel as its citizens’ arm in the May 2001 elections.

Namfrel filed last Oct. 25 its petition for accreditation as Comelec’s citizens’ arm for Operation Quick Count and to watch the application of indelible ink on voters’ fingers to avoid double voting.

The petition was heard on Nov. 14. Demetriou and the majority of the commissioners signed the en banc resolution but until now it is being withheld by Commissioner Luz Tancangco.

Demetriou told Concepcion that she has asked her staff to retrieve the resolution and tell Commissioner Tancangco that if she is opposed to Namfrel’s accreditation, to put it in writing.

"Namfrel has been the country’s duly accredited election watchdog since the crucial Philippine elections in 1984 and the 1986 snap elections called by President Marcos that eventually led to the EDSA revolution. It is regrettable that Commissioner Tancangco is holding the accreditation of Namfrel," Concepcion lamented.

Namfrel has been invited to observe the elections for Thailand’s House of Representatives on Jan. 6. International observers from 28 countries will be deployed in areas of Thailand with a record of poll irregularities.