Escudero convinced Comelec not ready for poll automation

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Francis Escudero on Monday said the Commission on Elections is in a “state of denial" about its unpreparedness to implement automated elections next year.   In a press statement, Escudero said the poll body should just admit if it is still not ready to implement the full automation of the 2010 elections so an alternative plan could be worked out by Congress.   The senator made the statement after the Comelec reset the scheduled opening of bids from April 27 to May 4. “First they changed terms of reference. Now they are moving the date of bidding. This is another proof of unpreparedness of the Comelec. They rushed the Senate to approve the budget in one day only to face delays after the fact," said Escudero, head of the congressional oversight committee on poll automation. Escudero was among those who voted against the P11.3 billion supplemental budget for poll automation. He said the poll body should not gamble the country’s future by forcing the full automation when it is not ready to do it.   “I urge the Comelec commissioners to be true and honest to themselves. If it can’t be done, don’t force the issue and rush into automation just for the sake of automation," he said.    Escudero believed an alternative plan for the poll automation can still be worked out by Congress before it ends its session on June 5. - GMANews.TV