Foreign observers monitor disenfranchisement, violence

The first ever automated election in the Philippines was still marred by fraud and violence, this was the initial report from the field made by delegates of the People’s International Observers Mission (PIOM). The delegates also reported that the   enthusiasm of the people to participate in the election was dampened by the chaos and the long line and long wait in many election precincts.

Assigned to nine regions, 86 foreign observers monitored today’s election and documented cases of fraud and violence. They observed elections in  Bicol, Iloilo, Lanao, Davao, Surigao, Abra, Central Luzon, National Capital Region and Southern Tagalog.

The PIOM team in Lanao del Sur witnessed a two-hour gunfight at the Tugaya Elementary School. The firefight killed one woman and wounded two others.  The PIOM delegates were caught in the middle of the gunfire.

In Bacoor, Cavite, two persons believed to be supporters of second district’s congressional bet Plaridel Abaya were gunned down in front of a police station, just outside the compound of Talaba Elementary School polling precinct. A team of the PIOM is also in Cavite.

The PIOM delegates also noted military presence near the polling centers such as in Barangay Taplocan, Albay, Bicol, in Davao City and in Payatas, Quezon City. In Barangay Taplocan, Albay, several armed men in civilian clothes were spotted by the PIOM team deployed there.

The delegates also reported the red-tagging against progressive senatorial candidates Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza  whose campaign posters in Albay, Bicol were spray painted with words: “Wag iboto, NPA kami” (Do not vote for us, we are NPA).. The NPA or the New People’s Army is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

In Davao City, elements of the 39th Infantry Battalion were stationed at the Buhangin Elementary School.

All of the PIOM teams noted widespread disenfranchisement of voters.. Due to the slow pace of the voting process, many voters, exhausted and dismayed, just went home.  There were also cases of invalid ballots due to the irregularity of the bar code, and improper shading.

Problems related to malfunctions of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines were also noted. In West Bangued, Abra, one PCOS machine broke down. Despite the machine malfunction, the voting process continued and the board of election inspectors (BEIs) decided to collect the ballots manually and drop them into  the ballot boxes.  Delegates of the PIOM expressed concern on the vulnerability  to fraud of such process.

At the Payatas Elementary School, some PCOS machines were not working just as voting was about to start.

In Lanao del Sur, some of the BEI did not allow voters whose ballots were initially rejected by the machine to try again as provided for by the election rules.

The PIOM teams also witnessed several forms of vote buying. In Malibcong, Abra, voters who asked for anonymity reported to the PIOM delegates that the incumbent town mayor  offered money amounting to P5,000 and a sack of rice in exchange for votes.

Dr. Judy Taguiwalo, Pagbabago! Movement for Genuine Change, 0916-7829666