By Al S. Mendoza

 

THE Comelec loves dwelling on controversies.  You can bet on that.

Almost in every election, it crafts rules that almost always invite a rain of criticisms.

Early on this year, it met a hail of bashes for raiding private properties to implement its “Oplan Baklas.”

This “Baklas” thing saw Comelec, aided by police, destroy privately-installed tarpaulins and other forms of campaign materials.

Since when did our Constitution change the law on our inherent right to tinker with our properties?

It’s a right as unbreakable as our right to vote.

No one, not even the President of the Philippines, can tell me which color I’d paint my house with.

I choose pink, none of his business.

The Comelec also has this knack to decide on scandalous issues the truncated way—almost.

Remember Bongbong’s questioned certificate of candidacy because it contained a false answer?

Bongbong answered “no” to a question asking if he was convicted of a crime.

He lied.  He was convicted of tax evasion by a lower court that was upheld by the Court of Appeals.

The law mandates an automatic disqualification for such conviction.

And yet, the Comelec’s first division tossed it out the window, effectively allowing Bongbong to run for president.

Bongbong did not commit moral turpitude that led to his conviction, the decision said.

Can you believe that?

If he wins—God forbid—the Comelec had made him win.

But the petitioners are not stopping, asking the Comelec to meet en banc to review the first division’s verdict.

And if they lose a second time—don’t be surprised if that happens—the petitioners will chase Bongbong all the way to the Supreme Court.

Will the High Court thumb down the Comelec ruling?

But not so fast, fellas.  For now, time is of the essence.  The magistrates must act fast.

Time could be running out on our guardians of morals, dignity and honor.  Ahem!

It is only 57 days to go before Judgment Day a.k.a. election comes.

Knowing how slow justice grinds in this country, a Supreme Court ruling might not come before May 9.

Because we’ve seen stranger things happen—wasn’t Imelda Marcos convicted of graft but she was never jailed?—the ballot might yet outlast the highest court of the land in the race to the finish line.

Which brings me back to the Comelec’s turtle-paced deliberations on Bongbong’s disqualification case.

Cynics say it’s a done deal—Bongbong to be given the final green light to run in the end.

But still, the Comelec must act with dispatch so that the Supreme Court can have its final say on the matter.

Seemingly bent on deliberately committing delaying tactics, the Comelec has veered from its path and started the unnecessary reconstruction of the rules regarding the Comelec’s presidential debates.

Like, why allow the candidates to have an advance peek on the questions to debate on later this month?

Why?  What’s the point?

It would be the craziest shift ever once it is adopted.

It’s like leaking the questionnaire in the bar exams.

Is a sham debate in the making?

Comelec follies seem to be eternal.

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