With less than four weeks before the mid-term senatorial elections, the National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) on Wednesday said that it is 70 percent ready for its quick count operations in the May 14 elections.

“The equipment needed for the quick count will be installed next week, said Namfrel secretary general Damaso Magbual in an interview shortly after the weekly Fernandina Forum at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila.

Namfrel’s command post will be at La Salle Gymnasium in Greenhills, Mandaluyong City.

Magbual also admitted that the election watchdog is rushing the preparations for the quick count as the Namfrel got its accreditation only on March 22 from the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Namfrel filed its application for accreditation with the poll body on January 5.

Elections Commissioner Resurreccion Borra earlier said that the poll body may disapprove Namfrel’s application because of a recent resolution issued by the Comelec en banc that prohibits barangay officials and barangay personnel from acting as poll watchers during the elections.

Magbual said that Namfrel needs at least 300,000 volunteers to help in the quick count.

“In areas where we lack the manpower, the PPCRV [Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting] will help,” he said.

Magbual added that Namfrel will no longer use “text-based” count from personnel in the field.

“The text-based quick count did not work. Namfrel this time will use the Internet, that is faster.”

Former Namfrel chairman and businessman Jose Concepcion, meanwhile, projected a higher voters turnout noting that the 2007 election is a “crucial one.”

Concepcion appealed to both the Genuine Opposition and the Team Unity to reconcile after the elections.

“We should not be like this [fighting all the time] … there should be reconciliation and maturity [after the elections],” he said.

CABANATUAN CITY—A government radio correspondent was killed on Wednesday morning in Nueva Ecija, the 88th since President Arroyo assumed office in 2001, a media group reported.

SOCIAL Weather Stations and Pulse Asia are in hot water as Elections Commissioner Resurrection Borra has expressed disappointment over the present state of poll-taking in the country, which, he said, “does not serve the purpose of providing educative and instructive information” on election matters.

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—Assured of reelection owing to the absence of serious opponents, the four highest local officials in Palawan vowed to spare no effort in helping the senatorial ticket of the administration win in the province.

Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Manila archbishop on Wednesday urged the people to choose the best leaders for the country by not favoring those who buy votes or coerce people.

With less than four weeks before the mid-term senatorial elections, the National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) on Wednesday said that it is 70 percent ready for its quick count operations in the May 14 elections.