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Palace chides opposition for raising ‘no-el’ bogey


Government officials on Sunday blamed the opposition for the “no-election" scare gripping several sectors of the society, insisting that such a scenario is “statistically impossible" on May 10 when the country have its first ever nationwide automated elections. “The opposition is creating its own specters, its own bogeyman and ghost in order to scare our people about so-called election failure in spite the fact that this has never happened," deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar said in a radio interview. Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales said the government is not preparing for any failure of elections “because it will not happen." “Let’s not talk about failure of election. [The] government is not preparing for any failure of election because it will not happen. There is no need to do so," he said in a statement. In a separate statement, deputy presidential spokesperson Charito Planas said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is doing all it can to ensure the success of the May elections, including setting up of “back-ups and remedial measures." “The government through Comelec is up in toes to address each problem, erase doubts and fears and assure the people a smooth, honest and credible elections this coming May 2010," she said. Planas chided administration critics for circulating “wild speculations," claiming that those behind the no-elections and failure of elections scenarios are people who could not wait for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to finish her term on June 30. President Arroyo’s appointment of military allies to key positions in the Armed Forces and her expected appointment of a new chief justice are seen by her critics as her way of setting up the stage for a possible term extension. But Planas assured that President Arroyo will step down on June 30, adding that the President has already started doing rounds in the different parts of the country to check on the status of the different programs and projects of her administration. “Malacanang assures the public that President Arroyo will definitely step down on June 30, 2010 and that the tours she has been making around the country are her last minute rounds to check that all her finished projects are being maintained and will be maintained," Planas said. Planas said at a press briefing last week that a military takeover is “possible" if political turmoil arises from a failure to install a new president by June 30. Olivar, meanwhile, dismissed the possibility of a military takeover in case of a failure of elections, citing that there are enough contingencies to avert a nationwide failed polls. - with Sophia Dedace/KBK, GMANews.TV

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