The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has rejected the petition of the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) to become its citizens’ arm in the forthcoming May 10 polls due to doubts on its impartiality.

“News of partisanship simmers among officers of the organizations.

Issues that they favor one candidate against the others make a questionable dent in the impartiality of the organization,” the Comelec headed by Chairman Jose Melo said in its nine-page resolution dated January 29, 2010.

“In the case before us, we could not help but cast doubts to Namfrel’s credibility and qualifications,” the decision further read.

The Comelec en banc particularly cited Namfrel founding chairman Jose Concepcion’s call for the resignation of former President Joseph Estrada in 2007, and Namfrel head Jose Cuisia’s association with the opposition as one of the reasons why they denied Namfrel’s petition.

“It would be to his (Estrada) objection when Comelec would accredit a citizens’ arm to assist in the elections closely associated with a personality who broadcasted his distrust towards the candidate,” read the resolution.

“Cuisia has been openly criticizing the present administration. Would this not be seen as undue bias against the administration bet?” it further read.

Another reason why the Comelec did not accredit the Namfrel is because they already accredited the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) as its citizens’ arm.

“Unfortunately for petitioners… this Commission has already accredited on October 26, 2009 the PPCRV to be the Comelec’s citizens’ arm in this coming May 10 national and local elections, after convincing this commission of its capacity to promote the public interest and to assist the Commission the performance of its function and activities,” Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said.

It was last December, when Namfrel together with the Catholic Bishops, Conference of the Philippines- National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (CBCP-NASSA), sought the Comelec’s accreditation to become its citizens’ arm.

An organization duly accredited by the Commission on Elections as its citizens’ arm is officially assigned to monitor the conduct of the elections, receive copies of election returns, do its own tally, and conduct information and education campaigns to benefit voters.