At around two o’clock on Tuesday morning, with 24-hour rolling news coverage on local networks going into its second day, a very pleased-looking Commission on Elections (Comelec) official was being interviewed live on television from the national vote tallying centre.
He could barely contain his excitement as he declared the first fully automated polls in the Philippines a success (much, it seemed, to his own surprise).
He had been up against the proverbial wall for weeks prior to the May 10th elections as machines failed when tested, contingency plans were ridiculed, and the credibility of the process itself was questioned.
He had been laughed at, scorned, and beseeched to put a stop to automated plans; but on behalf of the Comelec, he had said they would plough through - and the nation would be better for it.
Now even the previous nay-sayers are flabbergasted.
![[QODLink]](http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/Images/2012/5/24/2012524105149565734_16.jpg "The Brotherhood and Mubarak")
