Seminar on Automated Election System

As part of its continuing advocacy to educate the public on the dynamics of the electoral exercise, Libertás partnered with the University of the Philippines Law Center in conducting the “Popularizing the Law Seminar on Teaching Law Related Studies” on May 16-17, 2009 at the Malcolm Theater, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. Some 200 public school teachers from around the country attended the two-day seminar.

Director for Democratic and Electoral Reforms Desk, Atty. Luie Tito F. Guia, lectured on the “Prospects for an Automated 2010 Elections” wherein he discussed the possible changes in the processes and in the procedures which the teachers may encounter on the onset of automated elections in 2010. Atty. Guia also elucidated on some issues related to the role of the public school teachers as members of the Boards of Election Inspectors.

The participants are expected to incorporate in their lesson plans the topics discussed in the two-day seminar, including the Atty. Guia’s presentation.

Libertás handed the participants CD copy of its studies including: (a) the Baseline Study on the State of Election Adjudication in the Philippines; and (b) the Adjudication of Election Contests before the Trial Courts.

Prospects of Election Adjudication under an Automated System in the Philippines

On 3 June 2009, Libertàs conducted a Round Table Discussion/Forum on “The Prospects of Election Adjudication under an Automated Election System in the Philippines” at the Ambassador Sala, Traders Hotel, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City.

This affair generated discussion on election adjudication in the context of the May 2010 automated elections. Key COMELEC officials involved in election adjudication attended the forum along with representatives from the House and Senate Electoral Tribunals, the judiciary, election lawyers and experts, and electoral reform groups.

COMELEC Education and Information Department Director, James Arthur B. Jimenez, presented the Automated Election System for the 2010 elections. This was followed by a discussion by Atty. Luie F. Guia of the Possible Areas of Dispute in Automated Election System. Former COMELEC Commissioner and Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals, Hon. Teresita Di-Liacco Flores and veteran election lawyer, Atty. Sixto V. Brillantes, contributed to the discussion by sharing their experiences and insights on the previous attempts of COMELEC to automate the elections.

The Future of Election Adjudication: Reflections on the Automated ARMM Elections

Following the pilot testing of the automated system in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on August 11, 2008, Libertás, in partnership with the UP Law Student Government, conducted a Round Table Discussion on August 28, 2008 at the University of the Philippines Law Center, with the purpose of to steering debates on the impact of an automated election on people’s right of suffrage, the administration of elections and the adjudication of election contests.

COMELEC Chairman Jose Melo sent Commissioner Leonardo Leonida and some top officials of the Commission, including Executive Director Jose Tolentino, Jr., to present the Commission’s views on the recently concluded automated ARMM Elections.

LENTE volunteers Krizna Gomez and Atty. Nasser Marohomsalic also gave their personal observations. Representatives from non-governmental organizations, the Senate Electoral Tribunal, election law practitioners, law students and machine providers also joined the discussion.