The Confederation for Unity,
Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), a militant
national center of government employees today slammed the Commission on
Elections (COMELEC) for its failure to meet poll automation deadlines that they
themselves have set. The group also raised the alarm for possible failure of
elections.

In a statement, COURAGE National
President Ferdinand Gaite echoed the state workers’ frustration over the
incompetence of COMELEC in conducting orderly elections in May 2010. Despite
obvious instances of its unpreparedness such as delay in ballot printing and
delivery of PCOS units, the poll body still insisted in pursuing its ambitious poll
automation project.

“What is more alarming is that, instead
of presenting a comprehensive back-up plan that can appease the electorate’s fear
of a failure of elections, the COMELEC refuses to take accountability of its
lapses. It keeps on giving remote excuses for its several blunders. First, it
cited the costly shipping and traffic problems during the holiday season for
the delay in the delivery of PCOS units and now it pinned the blame on unresolved
disqualification cases for re-scheduling the ballot printing. Haven’t they
foreseen these before they pushed this project? We have witnessed how Commissioner
Melo preached about the poll automation as if everything is already in place,” Gaite
expressed.

The leader also revealed that they
have received reports from a reliable source that the requisites for the ballot
printing are far from being accomplished, contrary to the COMELEC’s claim. “The
printing machines are highly sensitive and it is necessary that it should be
kept in a room specially made for that purpose. It was disclosed to us that the
place is still under construction. Pero
hindi ito binabalita ng COMELEC sa taumbayan. It is deliberately fooling
the public,” Gaite said.

Meanwhile, the militant group shared
that it is set to launch taskforce ‘Kawani Kontra Daya’ to help in increasing public
awareness. Gaite reiterated that it is their duty as public servants to expose
and oppose all attempts of the Arroyo government to derail the people’s will
for a peaceful election in May. “Since we work inside the bureaucracy, it is us
who get the first-hand information in the progress of the poll automation
project. We assure the public that we served that we are one with them in fighting
election fraud. Tasforce “Kawani Kontra Daya” will divulge any maneuvres that
the Arroyo government and the COMELEC are conspiring,” Gaite ended. #