EDITORIAL - Comelec feud

All the commissioners faced the media the other day to declare that “all’s well that ends well” at the Commission on Elections. Only time and subsequent developments at the Comelec will erase suspicions that this is not the case.

In fact feuds are common in many government agencies. Sometimes the feuds lead to the disclosure of irregularities, consequently leading to reforms. In offices riddled with corruption, feuding can result in a healthy housecleaning.

The best that the Comelec can do is to ensure that disagreements or misunderstandings among its officials will not affect the services that the poll body is expected to deliver. The Comelec must work particularly to dispel insinuations of partisanship among some of its officials. Time is rapidly running out for the Comelec to settle the disqualification cases against several candidates in the May elections. Its decision is expected to be elevated to the Supreme Court, which is not known for speed and must be given sufficient time to come up with a ruling.

The feuding reportedly started when Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon submitted her comment to the Supreme Court on the disqualification case against Sen. Grace Poe. Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista reportedly took Guanzon to task for submitting a comment that had not been approved by a supposedly collegial body. In turn Bautista was accused of being biased for Poe.

Guanzon’s opinion is being adopted by the Comelec, in line with the “all’s well that ends well” declaration. The incident should lead to better coordination among the Comelec officials, who must act collectively on numerous issues that are meant to make the general elections credible and peaceful. The election season is chaotic enough; the Comelec must not aggravate the disorder.