NATIONAL SECURITY MEET: GMA, ERAP TOGETHER
AT MALACAÑANG
[PHOTO
AT LEFT -
President Arroyo stands beside ousted President Joseph Estrada during a
prayer before the start of the National Security Council meeting today at the
Malacañang Palace. Former presidents are members of the Council and it was
Estrada's first time to return to the presidential palace after his ouster in
2001. AP]
MANILA, JANUARY 13, 2010 (STAR) Former President Joseph Estrada is attending the National Security Council (NSC) meeting today in Malacañang.
Estrada, in an interview with The STAR, said he is willing to cooperate with everyone when national interest is at stake.
“I accepted the invitation to attend the National Security Council meeting because it involves national interest and for the greater good of the country. I might be able to help in my own small way,” he said, adding that he could not resist the invitation.
The NSC meeting will be held at the Heroes Hall at 10 a.m. today.
The NSC includes former presidents and leaders of Congress as members. Former President Fidel Ramos has formally informed Malacañang he would not be attending the meeting.
Margaux Salcedo, Estrada’s spokeswoman, said the former president’s attendance at the NSC meeting is an indication that politics can take a backseat if national security is at stake.
President Arroyo and her security advisers and other Cabinet members are set to discuss during the NSC meeting the national security situation in the country, measures to address private armed groups and loose firearms, and the preparations for the national elections. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Paolo Romero
Poll body assures NSC of orderly automated polls (The Philippine Star) Updated January 13, 2010 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) assured the National Security Council (NSC) yesterday that the country’s first ever automated polls in May would be orderly, but warned that failure of elections could occur in some areas.
Comelec Chairman Jose Melo gave the assurance during the NSC meeting at Malacañang presided over by President Arroyo and attended by former President Joseph Estrada, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and other congressional leaders, Cabinet officials and military and police officials.
All those present agreed that “all sectors must join hands in ensuring orderly and peaceful elections that the nation deserves,” Press Secretary Cerge Remonde told a news briefing after the two and a half hour meeting.
“Comelec Chairman Melo and Commissioner Larrazabal gave the NSC assurance that the conduct of the elections would be successful. Certain problems have been identified but in the end, the consensus is that it will be successful,” Remonde said.
He said Mrs. Arroyo also ordered the Armed Forces and the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to make sure there would be free and credible elections in rebel-infested areas in the country.
Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the fact that “credible candidates” are running in the coming polls augurs will for the elections.
Bello said Melo raised the possibility that there could be failure of elections in a few areas but they would not be widespread enough to influence results and would be primarily caused by factors like power failures.
“But not like a large scale failure of elections,” he clarified.
Remonde said the election officials expressed apprehensions on the effect of the Supreme Court intervention on Comelec rulings on the preparations for the polls.
A scenario raised was if the SC would overturn a ruling of the Comelec to disqualify a candidate when the ballots have already been printed.
Bello said those in the meeting expressed hope that the SC would be persuaded to respect Comelec decisions.
Remonde, on the other hand, said the threat of communist and secessionist rebels, as well as private armed groups, disrupting the polls was considered seriously by the NSC.
Smartmatic warned on hiring workers
The Comelec, meanwhile, reminded the Smartmatic International Corp.-Total Information Management Corp. (TIM) that it should not hire workers with ties to candidates.
Comelec Commissioner Lucenito Tagle said Smartmatic-TIM should thoroughly check the background of its workers to allay fears that they would manipulate poll results.
“It is important that they do not hire people who are connected to candidates,” he noted.
The statement was made after Smartmatic had reportedly hired one Arnulfo Cuyugan as coordinator for Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Cuyugan was allegedly connected to the Ampatuan clan whose members are being investigated for the massacre of 57 individuals in November 2009.
Smartmatic spokesman Gene Gregorio said Cuyugan had been hired in December last year but he already resigned.
Gregorio claimed that Cuyugan has been tasked to coordinate the site survey being conducted by Smartmatic-TIM in ARMM and other parts of the country.
“He was involved only in pre-election activities. He will have nothing to do in the election or with the (automation) machines,” he added.
Gregorio was uncertain of the circumstances surrounding the hiring of Cuyugan but said that Smartmatic-TIM gets workers through manpower agencies.
He added that these agencies have been instructed to recruit people that do not have political ties or be penalized.
For the 2010 polls, the Smartmatic-TIM is hiring some 50,000 individuals duly certified by the Department of Science and Technology.
AFP: Command responsibility
Meanwhile, AFP chief Gen. Victor Ibrado warned he will apply “command responsibility” to ground commanders whose men will be proven responsible for any election-related offenses in the May polls.
Ibrado issued this warning in his command message after laying down the ground rules to be followed and observed by the troops to ensure honest, orderly, and peaceful elections (HOPE).
“I will hold the commander responsible for any inimical act of personnel under his command who transgresses the rule of non-partisanship and professionalism,” he said.
The entire AFP has been placed under the Comelec by Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales to support the PNP in dispensing its election duties and functions.
But while Ibrado emphasized that the protection of individual candidates is essentially a police function, he said soldiers should view this as a worthwhile, dignified role to ensure peaceful elections.
He also urged commanders to keep in mind the interest of the Filipino people, uphold the sanctity of the ballot, protect human rights, and maintain the AFP’s professionalism.
“We should assure the Filipino people that the AFP will remain professional and will never tolerate its troops to be used or become involved in partisan politics,” Ibrado’s directive reads. - Paolo Romero, Sheila Crisostomo, Jaime Laude, Christina Mendez, Jose Rodel Clapano