CEBU CITY – Former Chief Justice to the Supreme Court and Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Hilario Davide Jr. Monday said the May 2010 National Elections could be a good occasion for the Filipino electorate to perform its right of sovereignty and make the elections a model for the Philippines.

Davide Jr., who was also the Senior Presidential Adviser on Electoral Reforms prior to his UN appointment, said the public should always remember their constitutional rights and not allow themselves to be used by politicians.

“If the Filipino people can prove to themselves that sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them, then probably this election will become a model election for the Philippines,” he said during a press conference in Cebu City Monday.

The former Supreme Court Chief Justice commended various concerned groups for organizing activities meant to raise awareness of voters and the response of the public to issues being raised in the electoral campaign which, he said, shows the concern of the Filipino in ensuring honest and credible elections.

“How can we make election credible? By people power; people should come out more openly. They should not allow themselves to be used by politicians. Filipinos should demonstrate clearly, effectively, and with pride that we can do something (something positive) in the Philippines,” he stressed.

Davide Jr. said that when he was electoral reforms adviser, he had proposed automation of the elections. But, he stressed, his proposal was not only for the automation of the voting but also in the counting of votes. These two processes must be computerized, he underlined.

“If you have a tamper-proof machine, no doubt you will have very credible election. I’m only praying that the machines we have now cannot be tampered because that is the only guarantee that the votes will be counted properly, tabulated, with the results announced in accordance with what have been tallied officially,” Davide Jr. said.

During the same press conference, the former High Court Chief Justice and UN official told members of media that the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) may continue the process of submitting nominees for the next chief justice but not until “reaching a particular area where the substance is involved in the motion for reconsideration.”

Said Davide Jr., “Until the motion to reconsider is resolved, the JBC may consider the continuation of the process.”