Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Jose Melo assured on Saturday that there will be no repeat to the “Hello Garci” scandal that rocked the nation in 2004 following the selection of Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro as the administration standard bearer for the 2010 elections.

The Comelec chief allayed fears of another election scandal next year, saying the automation of the election system will serve as a safeguard against possible cheating next year.

“We won’t be allowing the Comelec to be used by anyone. The Comelec is not the same anymore; we are already part of the new breed,” Melo said. “There is no more ‘Garci’ here.”

Melo’s statement came amid the warning of Marine Col. Ariel Querubin the other day of the possibility of the defense chief using his position to influence the results of the 2010 polls.

The incarcerated military man alleged that four military generals were involved in the operation to ensure President Arroyo’s triumph over the late Fernando Poe Jr. in the 2004 presidential race, an operation exposed by the surfacing of the wiretapped conversation of Mrs. Arroyo with then Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.

Melo said that part of their goal to push the automation of the elections was to prevent another incident such as the “Hello Garci” to happen.

“That is one of the reasons why we are pushing automated election even if it is a stressful endeavor because we see this as the answer to curb cheating in the country’s elections,” he said, adding that those who attempt to manipulate election results will be in for a hard time due to stringent security measures they have put in place.