Gordon blames Pimentel anew for stalled poll bill - Malaya 06.13.2006
SEN. Richard Gordon yesterday chided Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. for obstructing the passage of the poll automation bill despite having been a "dagdag-bawas" victim and for attended only one hearing on the measure.
"What really disheartens me, what really dismays me, is that after 10 long months of work, I have yet to hear concrete proposals from those who have reserved to make amendments. These are the same people who barely attend committee hearings and who never attended TWG (technical working group) meetings and caucuses," Gordon said in a statement.
Gordon said Pimentel has been derailing the approval of the measure through demands like another round of floor debates after the Senate as a whole had already finished introducing and incorporating amendments, particularly from Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Mar Roxas, to the bill.
"Despite this progress, Sen. Pimentel went back into a debate over the bill, and did not present any amendments. For months, despite being aware of the crucial timeline, he committed to submit his amendments, but he never did," Gordon said.
"It is unfortunate that some of my colleagues do not see the urgency of fixing the problem of cheating, especially since Sen. Pimentel himself claims to have been victimized by dagdag-bawas in 1995, and since the minority has been crying bloody murder over alleged fraud in the 2004 elections," he maintained.
The senator also criticized Sen. Sergio Osmeña III for "conspiring" with Pimentel to block the bill’s passage. He said Osmeña and Pimentel never run out of excuses - except for an actual amendment based on a serious study of the bill - in preventing the Senate from eventually voting on the measure.
The senator from Zambales blamed "consensus politics" for the failure of the Senate to approve the poll automation bill before it adjourned last week. He even allegedly challenged Pimentel and Osmeña to a fistfight out of frustration.
Pimentel chided Gordon for throwing a tantrum on the floor. He said the minority is for election modernization but he sees no need to rush the approval of Gordon’s bill because the opposition wants to "discuss the various ramifications of the complicated bill of Mr. Gordon."
"Realistically speaking, if we can pass the bill by August, then we will still have eight months to prepare for the May 2007 elections," Pimentel said.
Pimentel said the modernization of election, to be successful, should adopt a technology that is appropriate to Philippine setting. Gordon’s proposal is for a "technology neutral" scheme that will allow for flexibility in the automation of the elections. – Dennis Gadil
"What really disheartens me, what really dismays me, is that after 10 long months of work, I have yet to hear concrete proposals from those who have reserved to make amendments. These are the same people who barely attend committee hearings and who never attended TWG (technical working group) meetings and caucuses," Gordon said in a statement.
Gordon said Pimentel has been derailing the approval of the measure through demands like another round of floor debates after the Senate as a whole had already finished introducing and incorporating amendments, particularly from Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Mar Roxas, to the bill.
"Despite this progress, Sen. Pimentel went back into a debate over the bill, and did not present any amendments. For months, despite being aware of the crucial timeline, he committed to submit his amendments, but he never did," Gordon said.
"It is unfortunate that some of my colleagues do not see the urgency of fixing the problem of cheating, especially since Sen. Pimentel himself claims to have been victimized by dagdag-bawas in 1995, and since the minority has been crying bloody murder over alleged fraud in the 2004 elections," he maintained.
The senator also criticized Sen. Sergio Osmeña III for "conspiring" with Pimentel to block the bill’s passage. He said Osmeña and Pimentel never run out of excuses - except for an actual amendment based on a serious study of the bill - in preventing the Senate from eventually voting on the measure.
The senator from Zambales blamed "consensus politics" for the failure of the Senate to approve the poll automation bill before it adjourned last week. He even allegedly challenged Pimentel and Osmeña to a fistfight out of frustration.
Pimentel chided Gordon for throwing a tantrum on the floor. He said the minority is for election modernization but he sees no need to rush the approval of Gordon’s bill because the opposition wants to "discuss the various ramifications of the complicated bill of Mr. Gordon."
"Realistically speaking, if we can pass the bill by August, then we will still have eight months to prepare for the May 2007 elections," Pimentel said.
Pimentel said the modernization of election, to be successful, should adopt a technology that is appropriate to Philippine setting. Gordon’s proposal is for a "technology neutral" scheme that will allow for flexibility in the automation of the elections. – Dennis Gadil
posted by brodkaster43 at Martes, Hunyo 13, 2006
0 Comments:
Mag-post ng isang Komento
<< Home