Election winners already known

Speaker Jose de Venecia is right when he says that everyone already knows who won as president and vice-president. What the nation is awaiting is just the official canvassing of votes and proclamation by the National Canvassing Board which will be concluded and announced on or before June 30. In the senatorial elections, only the proclamation of the 12th senator is still in question and that is being contested by re-electionist Rodolfo Biazon and Robert Barbers.

We agree with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines declaration that the May 10 elections was "generally peaceful" and that there was no cheating on a national scale. There were isolated cases of cheating but they were on a precinct level and not on a scale that could change the true results. We believe that these isolated cases should all be thoroughly investigated and that all those involved should be investigated and if the accusations against them are confirmed by evidence, they should be prosecuted in the proper courts.

We like the statement of former president Joseph Estrada addressed to both the administration and the opposition "to let democracy take its course". It may take the joint session of Congress to canvass the president and vice president voted and Estrada has noted that "the country’s many problems that need immediate solutions have been left unattended, as politics has taken a center stage for more than its regular run, while I identify with the concern of the opposition, I nonetheless urge them to seek redress within the bounds of law. There can be no substitute to due process, transparency, and the rule of law." Coming from a person who is in prison, that is full faith in our courts that determine the rule of low.

We also commend the stand of the person most involved in the presidential election results – Fernando Poe, Jr., who in a paid advertisement said, "As our country completes its electoral journey, we should unite behind our duly-elected leaders who will steer us in the difficult and trying times ahead. The recently-concluded elections should unite us instead of dividing us as a country and people."

Before taking any action on the results of the elections, let us all wait for the joint session of Congress to canvass the votes and proclaim the presidential and vice presidential winners of the May 10 elections. If there are complaints, they should be brought to the proper courts. But we should refrain from street demonstrations as they are not conducive to peace, law and order. At the moment, we have the problem of terrorists. Let us not provide them with the opportunity to senselessly kill and destroy. That is why we have elections so that our future is decided by ballots and not bullets.