Press Release
September 11, 2009

IN CASE OF FAILURE OF 2010 ELECTIONS
CHIZ PROPOSES MEASURE TO FILL LEADERSHIP VACUUM

Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday proposed that Congress convenes five days before June 30 to select a transition president in case there is a failure of elections in May next year.

"We are going to hold automated elections nationwide for the first time in our electoral history. It is our responsibility to make sure that our democracy will survive any worst-case scenario," the 39-year old lawmaker said.

"The best-made plans, as the saying goes, can go awry. Our present laws do not address a possible failure of election for the top two offices in the land," he said.

To prevent any leadership vacuum resulting from a failure to proclaim the president and vice president, the Senate can elect from among the 12 non-reelectionist senators a president who will assume a transitory role until the issue is settled, he said.

This will require a joint resolution by the incumbent Congress which will convene only for that purpose for the last time before June 30, said Escudero who chairs the senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of laws.

Under the current succession law, the Senate president is second in line, followed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

"I share the apprehensions of many about our readiness to fully implement the poll automation law at this time. But since the Supreme Court has spoken, we have to work together to make it work," said Escudero, who co-chairs the congressional oversight committee on poll automation.

"Our objective should be clean automation, not automation for automation's sake, or we will find ourselves in danger of substituting manual, retail cheating with automated, wholesale cheating," he said.

Escudero said he will initiate the measure as soon possible in the Senate. A counterpart resolution on the same issue has also been filed the House of Representatives by Representatives Teodoro Locsin, Jr. and Edno Joson.

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