Senators no-show at inspection of ballots, poll machines

Only congressmen were present during a congressional check on the status of poll machines and the printing of ballots for the May automated elections, which was supposed to be a joint effort of the Lower House and the Senate. Of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Automated Elections (JCOC-AE), only JCOC-AE co-chair Makati City (1st District) Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr., Lanao Del Norte (2nd District) Rep. Abdullah Dimporo, Albay (1st District) Rep. Edcel Lagman, and Cagayan De Oro (2nd District) Rep. Rufus Rodriguez were present. Among the senators listed as JCOC members, not one attended. The member-senators include Loren Legarda, Jamby Madrigal, Francis Pangilinan, Pia Cayetano, and Aquilino Pimentel. But the most notable absence was that of Senator Francis Escudero, co-chair of the JCOC-AE and a staunch critic of the Commission on Elections (Comelec). 'I'll ask Chiz why he couldn't come' Locsin said that he does not know why Escudero was not present during the inspection. He noted, however, that he understood why the other senators who are running for reelection would opt to campaign than join them. “We will ask them. I’ll ask Chiz. He is not running. But the others are running and to run for the Senate is hell and they must be running around the country trying to convince the people that they actually exist," Locsin told reporters after the inspection of the ballot printing at the National Printing Office (NPO) in Quezon City. Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said that they are trying to be transparent with the automation process but added that there are some people who just refuse to cooperate. “Others complain about the process as not being transparent and we undertake activities like this for the lawmakers but they don’t show up… so we can’t do anything about it," he told reporters. “They should see the process… see what we are doing so they can get a clearer picture of the whole process. You can’t base your statements on incomplete facts and data," he added. Cabuyao PCOS visit After the JCOC-AE members visited the NPO facility, they visited the Smartmatic-TIM warehouse in Cabuyao, Laguna where the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines are being kept. Locsin commented that these senators should not make comments about the automation process when they did not even participate in the inspection of the facilities of the Comelec and Smartmatic. “I don’t think they should open their mouths about any aspect of the printing and the machines since they did not even show up," he said. But should they change their mind, Locsin said, they can always come to the NPO and Cabuyao. "They would be frisked of course," he quipped. The House members of the JCOC who did not attend the congressional visits to NPO and Cabuyao include Roman Romulo, Ferdinand Romualdez, Abigail Binay and Arnulfo Fuentebella. —JV, GMANews.TV