Comelec chair Sixto Brillantes dismisses ‘no-el’ scenario in 2016

Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Sixto Brillantes on Tuesday said that the 2016 elections would push through amid speculations that influential sectors are moving to have it canceled. 

“No way that there can be no-el (no elections). Maski na ano ang mangyari, magkakaroon,” Brillantes told reporters after the hearing of the Senate committee on finance on the Comelec’s proposed P16.9 billion budget for 2015.

 

Committee member Senator Nancy Binay during the hearing asked Brillantes whether there was a chance for Comelec to defer the 2016 elections, if Congess would pass a resolution moving it.  

 

“Is it possible for a no-election scenario in 2016 kung magpasa ng resolution ang Congress moving it?... Meron kasing nagkaroon ng slip of the tongue eh,” Binay said.

 

Binay was apparently referring to presidential spokesperson Secretary Edwin Lacierda, who in a recent news briefing seemed to have hinted the possibility that the 2016 elections will be postponed.

“Let's wait for the endorsement of the President, kung sino ang kanyang hahayagin bilang kanyang kandidato sa 2016, kung sakaling itutuloy ang 2016 elections,” Lacierda said during the briefing last week.

 

Lacierda immediately retracted his statement and clarified that the 2016 elections will push through.  

The opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) alleged that there was a “conscious effort” by the Balay faction of the Liberal Party (LP) to extend the term of President Benigno Aquino III.

 

“Hindi po pu-pwede. Constitutional po 'yan e. Without elections there would be no holding over (of office),” Brillantes answered Binay.

 

“I doubt whether you can extend the term of the President without passing a law. That cannot be done without amending the Constitution,” he added.

Binay's father, Vice President Jejomar Binay, is the presumptive standard bearer of the opposition in the 2016 elections. He has consistently topped popularity and trust surveys.

 

Brillantes said that despite a limited budget for 2015, the Comelec is confident that the poll body could finish all their preparations for the 2016 elections by the end of 2015.

 

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) allocated P16.9 billion budget for Comelec for 2015, despite the P35 billion that Comelec originally asked.

 

With its requested budget slashed by half, Brillantes said Comelec would have to do with about 80,000 old precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines purchased in 2012, plus about 41,000 new ones yet to be purchased.

 

He said the Comelec's aim was to finish the purchase of the new PCOS machines and other election materials such as ballots and pens by the end of 2014.

 

“Kailangan mag-umpisa na kami ng bidding by October (of this year) para by the end of 2014, matapos na natin lahat. Implementation na lang sa 2015, award na lang nang award ng contracts. Kasi matagal 'yang pagma-manufacture ng 41,000 (new PCOS) tapos hahanap pa tayo ng warehouse,” Brillantes said.

 

“But we are confident. With the P16.9 billion, we are confident na magkakaroon tayo ng election sa 2016. Tuloy-tuloy ang preparations natin at medyo magkukuripot lang tayo ng konti sa gastos,” Brillantes said, adding that the Comelec has about P2.9 billion savings supposed to be used for the construction of a new Comelec building.

 

“'Yung P2.9 billion na ipapatayo sana namin ng building, kung sakaling kailanganin, baka hindi na muna namin ituloy...We have to give priority to the elections,” he said. —NB, GMA News