Comelec still inutile

IN our February 15, 2016 issue, we called the attention of the provincial and town/city officials of the Commission on Election officials to begin strictly enforcing the provision on the legal use and display of campaign materials of candidates seeking national posts as stipulated in the Omnibus Election Code. Our call fell on deaf ears. Towns and cities were plastered with pictures of ‘presidentiables’, ‘vice-presidentiables,’ ‘senatoriables’ and Daang Matuwid.

This week is the official start of the campaign period for local posts. And already, every street corner, vacant lot, empty walls, available electric posts are already cluttered with posters in varying illegal sizes. Can Comelec still be able to assert its authority at this stage and make candidates accountable for making a mockery of the law?

The continued failure of the Comelec to strictly enforce this law will invariably impact on how the public will react to other laws that the commission will seek to strictly enforce. With a very low credibility in enforcing the law on postering and display of campaign materials, local Comelec officials cannot expect support from a disenchanted, disillusioned and unbelieving community.

In this regard, local Comelec officials, whether in town or city level, can still make a difference for their agency and the communities they are assigned to if they can strictly enforce the law, and not look inutile.

 

Cayetano shines anew

THE Senate probe on the $81 million recently stolen by hackers from the Bangladesh Bank—the loot was stashed away using our own RCBC bank—has raised more questions than answers.  The foremost query is, can the manager of RCBC bank branch at Jupiter St. Makati City cause the release of that massively stupendous amount of money without the approval of top management?  RCBC president Lorenzo Tan said, “the Board approved” it.  But it did not end there that is why the need for our lawmakers to look further into it “in aid of legislation.”  Some senators had haggled recklessly whether the bank heist involved national security.  They only stopped when Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano read a provision pertinent to any Senate hearing that anything dealing on “the nation’s financial system” is a national security issue.

How many times has Cayetano proven himself too erudite over his peers when complex matters suddenly hit a Senate probe?  Cayetano also shining in the Mamasapano Massacre probe was another case in point, not to mention the alleged Binay binge on overpricing of several Makati buildings resulting in multi-billion peso kickbacks.

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