Comelec always gets away with infractions

GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc (The Philippine Star) Updated October 29, 2010

John Unson, The STAR’s point man in southern Mindanao, spots two eye openers in politically violent Maguindanao province. One, local and higher government officials are still trying to rig elections.

But, two, Maguindanaoans are resisting it in newfound political democracy. This was clear in last Monday’s barangay election that had to be cancelled in wide areas of the first district.

In Datu Unsay town, only the names of incumbent barrio officials running for reelection were printed on the ballots. The town is the bailiwick of Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., accused chief massacrer last November of 57 political foes, lawyers and media workers. The incumbents allegedly are all allied with the powerful Ampatuan political dynasty. Townsfolk picketed to protest the exclusion of independents from the candidates’ roster. This prompted the Comelec provincial office to postpone the voting.

Maguindanaoans can applaud themselves for rediscovering people power. But they must also press authorities to investigate the ballot fraud. How did a false list of candidates manage to spring from the municipal election unit, pass review by the Comelec provincial and regional branches, and see printing by the central office?

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While they’re at it, graft busters must also prosecute continuing fraud at Comelec headquarters. Neither the Comelec brass nor the Ombudsman can be trusted to do it anymore. But certainly worth looking into is the decade-long control by only nine suppliers of nearly all contracts for election paraphernalia.

It cannot be mere coincidence that only the nine keep coming up with bright, unsolicited proposals and “winning” supposedly open biddings. Obviously there’s criminal collusion. Example: the negotiated deal for ballot-secrecy cardboard folders that would’ve cost a billion pesos had it not been halted, though already approved by the commissioners. Or, the more than a billion pesos for the automated fingerprint (voter) ID system in time for last May’s national balloting, postponed after down payment to the supplier.

In last Monday’s election there allegedly was bid rigging once again for the supply of paper for ballots, tally sheets and canvass forms. No less than the government’s APO Printing, under the Office of the President thru NEDA, exposed the scam. Allegedly the bidding rules, specifications and release of information were tailored for the nine favored suppliers.

The Comelec ignored the complaint. So did the Ombudsman. And so national and local elections remain a dirty moneymaker instead of a mirror of people’s democratic will. But something’s gotta give — soon. The country doesn’t need to sink like Maguindanao into bloody failed democracy before a reawakening.

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Next weekend in Mandaluyong City, an event organized by Health Sec. Enrique Ona is sure to split the medical community. The “Forum on Incentiv-ized Donation from Living and Deceased Organ Donors” allegedly will promote organ trade in the Philippines. Two of Ona’s co-organizers are psychiatrist Sally Satel of Washington and transplant surgeon Arthur Matas of Minnesota, promoters of organ sales to transplant patients.

Dr. Satel had written in The Herald Tribune in June 2008: “There is nothing wrong with selling kidneys . . . The only way to stop illicit markets is to create legal ones.” Simultaneously Dr. Matas had stated in the British Medical Journal: “Arguments that payment for organs will commodify the body ignore the fact that we already compensate people for sperm, ova, surrogate motherhood, etc.” Association with the two allegedly is proof that Ona intends to alter Philippine transplant policies. Organ markets are banned, but Ona is being criticized for suggesting incentives and gratuities to organ donors. Also, for allowing foreigners to solicit Filipino living non-related donors.

The Philippine College of Physicians and the Philippine Society of Nephrology oppose organ selling on ethical grounds. They propose instead that government vigorously promote organ donating and set up a network for it. Dr. Alberto Chua, professor of medicine and chairman of the PSN taskforce on kidney transplant issues, is leading the assault. He says that organ trade exploits two sets of desperate people — those facing death from kidney failure and hunger due to penury. But precisely, the other side counters, they all don’t have to suffer if regulated donation incentives are allowed.

Intensifying, meanwhile, is R&D in stem cell cloning of body parts for transplant. But that too is under ethical debate, if the cells are to come from human embryos.

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”The punishment of liars is that even the truth begins to sound like lies.” Shafts of Light, Fr. Guido Arguelles, SJ

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E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com