COMELEC URGED TO DO AWAY WITH PLAN
TO TRANSFER VENUE OF SENATORIAL CANVASS

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Nene Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today urged the Commission on Elections, acting as national board of canvassers, dispense with its plan to transfer the canvassing of votes cast in the May 14 senatorial election from the Philippine International Convention Center to the Comelec main office at the Plaza Gobernador even before it could complete the tabulation.

Saying the planned transfer is inadvisable, Pimentel said it is preferable to hold the canvassing at the PICC because it is more open and accessible to people who wish to watch the proceedings.

The minority leader said he learned about the plan to move the canvassing to the Comelec main office at Plaza Gobernador in Intramuros from an informant who said that Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos discussed this with lawyer Gabby Villareal and other people at the Wack Wack, Mandaluyong Wednesday evening.

Pimentel said the Comelec session hall at Plaza Gobernador is very small compared to the present venue at the PICC and even the members of the media will have difficulty moving around there.

I think that if the canvassing is transferred there, the public will feel more apprehensive that the Comelec is being less than transparent in handling the electoral process.