Comelec says no to Namfrel as citizens’ arm

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has dismissed the petition for accreditation of longtime poll watchdog National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) for the May elections due to "credibility" issues. “We laud the efforts of the petitioner organization. We assume that Namfrel has all the best intentions in volunteering to be the citizens’ arm of this Commission (but) we could not help but cast doubts to Namfrel’s credibility and qualifications," the Comelec en banc said in its resolution. Last December, Namfrel, together with its co-petitioner the National Secretariat for Social Action (Nassa) Justice and Peace of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, filed a petition with the Comelec asking for accreditation as a legitimate citizens’ arm of the poll body. Namfrel spokesman Eric Alvia said they asked the Comelec to allow them to conduct or be involved in the manual audit and external parallel count for the May elections. Partisan views However, the poll body said it was worried that Namfrel was favoring some candidates over others. "(It) make(s) a questionable dent in the impartiality of the organization. Although the organization is the one beholden to the prohibition against partisanship, the acts of the very officers of the group smear the reputation of the organization towards non-partisanship," the Comelec said. The Comelec cited Namfrel chairman Jose Concepcion for "criticizing and disfavoring" former President Joseph Estrada, who is running for president again in the 2010 polls. It further asserted that Namfrel national chairman Jose Cuisia “rubbed elbows" with the late President Corazon Aquino against the Arroyo administration. The Comelec asked, “Would this not be seen as undue bias against the administration bet?" Namfrel was instrumental in exposing numerous irregularities in the 1986 snap elections favoring then President Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the country for more than two decades. This sparked waves of protests by supporters of then opposition candidate Corazon Aquino that culminated in the historic EDSA People Power revolt that sent the Marcos family into exile and catapulted Mrs. Aquino to the presidency. Clear denial Alvia told GMANews.TV in a phone interview that Namfrel has yet to receive a copy of the resolution. But he was quick to note that their organization was not partisan. “Definitely not," stated Alvia. “We have a standing rule, members have to resign if they want to turn partisan." He added that in the past year, many members of their council and staff have resigned for that reason. “These people have a very high integrity," he said. Moreover, Alvia said that the persons cited by the commission have long been disconnected with Namfrel. “Mga nakaraan na yun, baka nag-time warp sila (That was a long time ago, maybe they time-warped)," he said. But aside from the issue of partisanship, the Comelec also questioned Namfrel's partnership with Nassa, saying that there is no evidence of their union. “There was no document or memorandum of agreement submitted to the commission signifying such a collaboration. We could not help but doubt the veracity of this tie-up," the poll body said. Alvia, for his part, stands by the union. “The fact na pumirma yung dalawang leader namin, hindi pa ba sapat yun (Isn't it enough that both of our leaders signed the petition)," he said. Meanwhile, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez told GMANews.TV that, as far as he knows, Namfrel is currently in negotiations with the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) on how it can still help in the May polls. Earlier, it was the PPCRV that objected to Namfrel's petition for accreditation, saying that the poll body had already awarded them the tasks that the quick count expert was asking for. Last October, the Comelec accredited the PPCRV as its first citizens’ arm for the May elections. As of the moment, it is the only accredited citizen’s arm of the Comelec for the upcoming polls. Section 52 of the Omnibus Election Code gives the Comelec the power to enlist non-partisan organizations to assist them in ensuring free, orderly and honest elections. - FVI/KBK, GMANews.TV