No doubt, polls to proceed as scheduled – Palace

Source: Manila Bulletin
By GENALYN KABILING
March 21, 2010, 5:20pm

The May national and local elections will push through as scheduled with an ample backup system in place, as President Arroyo prepares for her departure from office after nine years, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Charito Planas said Sunday.

Planas reiterated that the President has no plans to stay a day longer in the Palace when her term ends in June.

“Malacañang assures the public that PGMA will definitely step down on June 30, 2010 and that the tours she has been making around the country are her last-minute rounds to check that all her finished projects are being maintained and will be maintained; all on-going projects are being continued; and the unfinished ones to be assumed and continued by whoever will win in the coming polls,” Planas said.

She sought to end persistent speculations by some groups that the government is plotting to derail the first-ever automated elections and prolong the President’s term beyond 2010 through a failure of elections scenario.

She said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is on top of the situation to ensure free and fair automated elections of new leaders this May and urged the public to support the upcoming democratic exercise.

“In the midst of speculations of failed elections and talks about President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo clinging to her position beyond June 30, 2010, Malacañang has to say that despite all the flaks that it has been getting, Comelec is doing its job to ensure the Filipino electorate that, yes, there will be elections on May 10, 2010 and that it is ready with all the backups and remedial measures necessary,” Planas said.

“As the government is being bombarded with speculations of different scenarios ranging from failure of the first-ever automated elections in the country, party-list groups tagged as ‘government fronts,’ to the power crisis in Mindanao, the government through Comelec is up on its toes to address each problem, erase doubts and fears and assure the people of a smooth, honest, orderly and credible elections this coming May 2010,” she added.

Planas, likewise, hit back at groups anxiously awaiting the end of the Arroyo’s term for raising conjectures of failure of the May polls. Planas said the Palace looks forward to a “united people working together and positively looking forward to a healthy exercise of their right to suffrage” rather than speculating the results of the elections.

In an unprecedented move, Mrs. Arroyo, an unpopular leader who has survived a number of rebellions and impeachment attempts in Congress, is vying for a congressional post in the 2nd District of Pampanga. Early this year, she started a farewell tour in the provinces highlighting her record of accomplishments in the economy, infrastructure development, social services, among others, since 2001.

Last week, Planas claimed that the military could take over the government in case there would be failure of elections. The President’s deputy spokesperson however quickly ruled out such scenario, insisting the May elections is still a go.

Various opposition groups immediately pounced at the Palace for issuing the warning of a military takeover that fanned speculations President Arroyo is staying beyond her constitutionally mandated term. Some sectors reminded the Palace to refrain from issuing such alarming statemetns and instead help pacificy any concerns of botched elections.