Proclamation questioned in electoral tribunal

Defeated candidate Fernando Poe Jr. and his running mate former Senator Loren Legarda have elevated their protest questionning the canvassing and proclamation to the Presidential Electoral Tribunal. We commend this move. Election protests should be brought before the proper authorities who can impartially hear the issues and decide matters according to law. It is more sensible than bringing the question on the streets where the people are in no position to hear the facts and examine the evidence. The bigger danger there is that terrorists could take advantage of the demonstration to detonate their bombs.

Peaceful assembly is guaranteed by the Constitution. But the people assembling must, first, have a permit; second, the assembly must be peaceful. The police will, of course, be present. But they are not there to stop or disperse the rally. They are there to ensure that the rally with permit will be conducted peacefully. Even if there are some minor violations, their instruction is to exercise maximum tolerance. Most of the demonstrations have been covered by TV. We don’t like to see demonstrators dispersed with water cannons and tear gas. But sometimes, there is no alternative. Some demonstrators or infiltrators throw rocks at the police. This can often be seen right on TV. All we ask is that the rule of law prevails.

The elections, the canvassing of votes and the proclamation of the winners are already over. Some of the defeated candidates feel that they have been cheated. Their problem is to take their complainnts to the proper venues where they can present their complaints supported by facts. Democracy cannot work if the votes are not properly canvassed and the voters’ will is not reflected in the results. At the same time, losers cannot just claim that they were cheated. The sad part about the last elections is that it is precisely the two top posts – the presidential and the vice-presidential – which are being questioned. We are glad that now it will be questioned before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal. Let the PET hear and decide the case.

But please let us keep this issue out of the streets. That can only produce anarchy. Today, the military is downgrading its alert status from "red" to "blue". Let us keep it that way. We need peace and it has to begin in our streets. We want justice for all and that includes all the candidates – winners and losers – in the past elections. Truth must prevail. The winners have been proclaimed. The losers should accept their defeat or present proof they were cheated. The proper venue for this is our courts, but definitely not the streets.