The COMELEC has ultimately earned the title of being among the biggest thieves in Philippine history. Coming only some clicks behind Gloria Arroyo (who has robbed the Filipino masses of their liberties, lives and properties), the Philippine Commission on Elections this time has cut down what is left of the supposed democracy in the country. By defying the order of the Supreme Court to extend voters' registration until January 9, 2010, and instead imposing their own deadline (December 29, 2009), hundreds of thousands of qualified citizens have been deprived of their right to vote.

In a unanimous decision promulgated on December 15, 2009, the country's highest tribunal reiterated the law on voter registration, ruling out that "[t]he clear text of the law thus decrees that voters be allowed to register daily during regular offices hours, except during the period starting 120 days before a regular election and 90 days before a special election." Tersely put it, voters' registration should close on January 10, 2010, 120 days before the May 10, 2010 election.

What is preposterously ironic is that Chairman Jose Melo who heads the COMELEC once served as an Associate Justice in the Supreme Court. With that, one would expect him to know the law. However, in a sudden turnabout, Comelec Resolution no. 8585 earlier shortened the registration period to October 31, 2009, prompting Kabataan Partylist Representative Raymond Palatino et. al. to file an Urgent Petition for Certiorari and Mandamus to the Supreme Court. Said petition led to the High Court's order to nullify Comelec Resolution 8585 and to reopen the registration until January 9, 2009. The decision was immediately-executory.

Yet again, Chairman Melo and his Commissioners issued Resolution no. 8719, allotting only five days (December 21 to 23 and December 28 to 29) for the actual registration in defiance of the Supreme Court decision.

It is more than clear that the COMELEC, headed by Jose Melo, has not only violated the law twice on this regard but has in fact shut the door to a legal venue by which the people who are more than sick of Arroyo's rule can hope to bring change to this country come May 10 election.

But this is not at all something to be surprised about. Lest we forget, the COMELEC was home to Garci who helped the present occupant in Malacañang rig the 2004 election, and Abalos who brokered the ZTE deal in exchange for hefty commissions. Something, again, seems to be cooking: the COMELEC is lenient with Smartmatic's delays in delivering poll machines for automated elections, it has not done efforts to encourage mass registration of voters on a nationwide scale, and has the temerity to by itself amend Philippine law and defy the Supreme Court.

We have had enough of brazen displays of arrogance from COMELEC and its commissioners but to witness a grandscale deprivation of the people's right of suffrage in a fashion that downright mocks the fundamental law of the land more than infuriates—it agitates one's spirit to seek justice and obtain it at all cost.

We will not be unnerved and we will keep watch as every responsible, freedom-loving citizen should.