MANILA, Philippines - Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday cautioned the Commission in Elections (Comelec) against pushing through with a plan to use new technology for the 2013 elections, with an alleged cheating operator leading the poll body.
Cayetano said having election lawyer Sixto Brillantes as Comelec chairman raises doubts about the intentions behind changing the technology used during the first nationwide automated elections in 2010.
"Are we confident na 'pag nag-introduce siya ng new technology, walang dayaan na mangyayari?" he told reporters.
The senator had accused Brillantes of helping certain politicians cheat during elections. Brillantes has denied Cayetano's allegation.
"Let me raise the alarm bells," Cayetano said. "Baka magkaroon mg revenge o return of the operators sa 2013, except this time mas high-tech na sila."
The Commission on Appointments had bypassed Brillantes' appointment as Comelec chairman because Cayetano said he would like to ask him more questions.
Cayetano claimed that so far, Brillantes is not doing anything to prove himself worthy of being in the position.
"Sabi niya magre-reorganize, magre-reshuffle, wala naman tayong nakita," he said. "I hope the President would give him two choices, shape up or ship out. So far he's not shaping up."