Catholic Church arm to help Namfrel do quick-count

The Catholic Church will help poll watchdog National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) conduct its “quick count" for the May 14 polls.

Namfrel Chairman Edward Go said under a deal he signed on April 18 with Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez, director of the Church’s National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (Nassa), seeks to combine their manpower to quickly produce the elections' unofficial results.

Nassa, social arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), earlier unsuccessfully vied to do the quick count.

"There are regions in the country where (one of either of our groups) has a better presence. There are also areas where we jointly manage. We want to use the best of both
organizations. We want to (cover all the gaps)," said Go.

Go replaced businessman Jose Concepcion as Namfrel chairman on April 13 after the Comelec made his resignation a prerequisite for the poll watchdog’s accreditation as quick count arm.

The Comelec noted that Concepcion is not allowed to head a citizens arm because he is an elected official, being village chairman of posh Barangay Forbes Park in Makati City.

In April 2, the Comelec voted 4-2 in favor of Namfrel doing the quick-count, effectively junking NASSA’s separate application. -GMANews.TV