Senators clashed on Monday over the capability of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to implement the automation of the May 2010 presidential election.

Senator Richard J. Gordon, author of Republic Act (RA) 9369 or the amended Automated Elections System Law, admonished critics of the Comelec against prematurely looking for “ghosts” or hitches in the poll body’s preparation for the automation of the May 2010 presidential elections.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr. expressed fears that the Comelec might not be able to complete full electoral automation as the equipment for the 2010 national and local elections have not arrived. Pimentel said that Smartmatic and its suppliers might not be able to get and deploy the equipment on time since the manufacturer’s plant in Taiwan had been damaged by recent typhoons.

“Huwag tayong maghanap ng multo, sisingilin dapat natin ang Comelec kapag talagang hindi nila nagawa iyan,” Gordon said. “I believe they are on track. I am not worried about that. Hindi mahirap gawin yang gagawin natin,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Comelec meets en banc today to tackle several crucial issues for the orderly and peaceful conduct of the May 10, 2010 presidential, congressional, local and party-list polls.

Comelec Chairman Jose A.R. Melo, along with Commissioners Rene V. Sarmiento, Nicodemo T. Ferrer, Lucenito N. Tagle, Armando C. Velasco, Elias R. Yusoph and Gregorio Y. Larrazabal, are to clarify important issues regarding provisions of the Republic Act 9369, the Poll Automation Law, which set the start of the campaign for next year’s election on February 9, 2010.

Among the issues expected to be tackled are:

1) To ban or not to ban as a form of premature campaign the showing during the coming Metro Manila Film Festival of the movies featuring actors and actresses who have announced their candidacies in the coming elections such as former President Joseph Estrada, Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.

2) To order or not to order the immediate dismantling or removal of billboards, streamers and tarpaulins containing varying messages such as Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Happy Fiesta, Congratulations Graduates and Happy Valentine with the names and photos of the senders that provide prospective candidates premature exposures for purposes of name recall.