November 24, 2000, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2001 polls will be held -- Diokno, by TJ Burgonio,

November 24, 2000, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2001 polls will be held -- Diokno, by TJ Burgonio, 

BUDGET Secretary Benjamin Diokno said yesterday the government has sufficient funds to hold local elections in May 2001, despite Commission on Elections claims it has received no money to prepare for the polls. Diokno said the P220 million fund for election preparations has been "comprehensively released." 

He added that the budget department would release P1 billion for the Comelec's modernization program once the poll body shows proof that it has entered into a contract for the implementation of the plan. Both the P220 million and the P1 billion allocation were included in the Comelec's budget for 2000, he said. 

"We can assure everybody that there will be elections in May 2001," Diokno told reporters in an ambush interview at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Diokno also said the Comelec could tap its unspent accumulated appropriations, and could "contract out" some P2.7 billion worth of services for its modernization plan. Comelec chair Harriet Demetriou said Wednesday the Department of Budget and Management had not released either the P220 million or the P1 billion, raising fears the polls next year would not push through. 

P7.6M left 

She also said the poll body has received only P1.2 billion of its P2.8 billion total allotment this year, and had to pay its arrears of the same amount, leaving only P7.6 million at its disposal. Diokno said some P2.5 billion of the 2001 budget would be appropriated for the conduct of the 2001 elections. The 2001 budget is being deliberated in the House of Representatives. If approved on third reading, it will be sent to the Senate in seven days for approval, he said. 

Members of the House yesterday expressed confidence local elections would be held next year. "We don't see an election postponement," said Rep. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo at the Newsmakers Forum at the Century Park Sheraton. Castillo is the current House majority floor leader. This was seconded by Rep. Clavel Martinez of Cebu, "Matutuloy din yan (It will push through)." 

Martinez, who attended the same forum, warned the situation could turn "chaotic" if the elections were not held. Rep. Agapito "Butz" Aquino of Makati City said "the people will not allow elections not to be held." 

Pessimistic 

Martinez said, however, that the holding of the elections would depend on the Senate passing the budget for next year. "The ball is in the hands of the Senate," she said. The House has yet to pass on its third and final reading the 2001 General Appropriations Act, which contains a special allocation for the modernization of local polls. 

But even if the House does pass the GAA, it is in danger of being sidelined in the Senate by the impeachment trial of President Estrada. Former House speaker Manny Villar was more pessimistic. At the monthly meeting of the Rotary Club of Makati West, Villar said there was a "real possibility" the elections would not push through. 

"There will be no elections in May unless the budget is approved by Congress. It's a little late since the House has not approved the budget on its third reading," said Villar. He also noted that the Senate could not act on the budget since it has not passed the House. Demetriou noted that the appropriation for the polls' modernization suffered a drastic cut in the GAA, from P2.9 billion to P350 million. She said Comelec needs a minimum of P5.9 billion for the elections.