LENTE, ACLG, and El Consejo Atenista conduct #VotodeMagaJovenes2013
The automated voting system and its susceptibility to fraud was the central subject of the #VotoDeMagaJovenes2013 forum on Saturday, February 9 at the university’s Campion Lecture Hall.
According to Jose Augustus G. Villano, president of the Legal Network for Truthful Elections- ZamPen and ARMM Region, “there is a tendency that there can be cheating in the upcoming automated elections.” He added that this year’s elections will be “complicated” because of the use of the precinct count optical scan machines.
Villano believes that the use of the manual counting of votes is more reliable than the use of the automated system. “Though it (manual count) is susceptible to fraud, it can be justified. Whereas if we use the machines, there can be a lot of disenfranchised votes.” He said that the efficiency and reliability of the count is more valid with the use of the former.
Meanwhile, he personally affirmed that there were no manipulations during the 2010 local and national automated elections because the technology was still new but in the three years span that the machines are not used, he believes that “it is more susceptible now” to manipulations of the votes.
But nonetheless, Villano stressed that “vigilance can help attain clean and honest elections this 2013, and we will look forward to any election fraud.”
The forum was an initiative of the Ateneo Center for Leadership and Governance, LENTE, and the El Consejo Atenista.
Talking about LENTE…
The said forum was also an orientation about LENTE. According to Villano, it is the “first and only nationwide network of lawyers, law students, paralegals, and other trained volunteers” engaged in advocating for truthful elections through monitoring the electoral process in the country.It was first established in 2007. In addition, the network also conducts three phases of trainings: orientation, accountability, and voter’s education.
“Last elections, we provided legal assistance, monitored election offenses, and disenfranchisement,” said Villano.He said that in 2010, there were some reports and complaints submitted to them by ‘concerned citizens’ which they forwarded to the Commission on Elections for filing. Accordingly, some of these cases were already solved with the help of LENTE and other private lawyers.As of 2012, there are already 32 schools who are members of LENTE. With the growing network, a LENTE chapter for the Ateneo de Zamboanga University was also established during the event.
The officers now include Pres. Francis Xavier Sinon (College of Law), Vice-Pres. Maria Cristina Garito (Legal Management), Sec. Louise Ann Tillah (Communication Department) and Treas. Rhino Chua (College of Law) after have been voted by the participants of the forum. The chapter is coordinated by Christopher Chiong of the College Registrar’s Office.LENTE continues in welcoming volunteers to join them most especially the youth members. “According to the constitution, the fundamental role of the youth is very important in nation-building. We are therefore encouraging volunteerism among them. They can also be servants in the future so if they will be guided accordingly or in the right manner then our country will be a better nation,” stated Villano.
–Photos by Gilbert Rio and Christopher Chiong
