Leni worried about Comelec's image amid Guanzon-Bautista row

Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo on Tuesday warned poll officials that any sign of political partisanship among them would result in the erosion of the confidence of the people in the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

"Kapag mayroong accusations na may bias ang isang commissioner in  favor of one candidate, mai-erode nito 'yung integridad ng buong commission," Robredo said at the Pandesal Forum as she urged warring poll officials to settle their differences.

"Isa sa mga requirements ng commissioners dapat no political biases kasi they should be beyond doubt, beyond reproach as far as kinikilingan is concerned," said Robredo, the administration's vice presidential bet in the May elections.

Robredo's statement came a day after Comelec commissioner Rowena Guanzon accused Chairman Andres Bautista of favoring Senator Grace Poe, a presidential candidate. 

Guanzon's accusation stemmed from Bautista's memo asking her to explain why she submitted the poll body's comment on Poe's petition with the Supreme Court without his signature. Poe is questioning before the high court the Comelec's decision to invalidate her candidacy on account of her citizenship and residency.

Unfortunate

Robredo, during Monday's forum, said the exchange of statement between the two poll officials in public was unfortunate.

"Nakakalungkot kasi 'yung Comelec should be beyond all this. Sila 'yung magsi-safeguard ng proseso ng election. Andaming dapat gawin ngayon na sana hindi na nagi-spend ng time para sa ganun," she said.

"Wala tayong kinakampihan, wala tayong jina-judge pero sana kung may hindi pagkakaintindihan sa loob, among them na lang kasi naapektuhan nito 'yung tiwala ng tao sa institusyon," Robredo added.

"At the end of the day, ang lugi sa awayan na ito [ay] 'yung institusyon mismo. Kaya sana mahinto na. Sana hindi na dalhin sa publiko kung anuman yung misunderstanding na nangyayari among them," she further said.

She said only the commissioners themselves can assure the public that they are not partisan "not through words but through actions."

TV ad

Meanwhile, Robredo clarified reports that her television advertisement spending has already reached P91 million.

"I asked my campaign team kung totoo yun na P91 million na. Sabi nila hindi kasi yung P91 million is based in rack rates, actually hindi ko naiintindihan, I asked them kung naka-solicit na kami ng P91 million, sabi nila hindi. I  think we spent much less than that," she said.

She said that her campaign is being managed by Senator Bam Aquino and the ruling Liberal Party.

The neophyte lawmaker also said there is a need to amend election law to regulate the movement of candidates even before the official campaign period, which will start on February 9.

"Yung paniniwala natin, once nag-file na ng certificate of candidacy, kailangan yung election laws nire-regulate na talaga yung ginagawa ng mga kandidato. Palagay ko kailangang mas lawakan yun," Robredo said.

"Pag hindi nire-regulate at hinahayaan 'yung parang walang limit na spending before the campaign period, very prohibitive dun sa mga kandidatong walang panggastos," she said. —KBK, GMA News