Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts Volume IV, Number 18 June 6 - 12, 2004 Quezon City, Philippines |
Post-Election
Assessment: The
conduct of the May 10 elections in Eastern Visayas is no different from the rest
of the country. The report by an election watchdog set up by people’s
organizations showed rampant fraud, violence and irregularities. BY
MAUREEN JAPZON
“The
incidents of fraud and violence documented by the Task Force cannot be simply
treated as ‘isolated cases and incidents,’” said Alex Lagunzad,
spokesperson of the task force. “They need to be addressed accordingly in order not
to pose ill precedents for future elections and to safeguard the people’s
right to suffrage.” Election
Day violence
On
election eve alone, a total of eight election-related deaths were recorded.
Incidents of shoot-outs between armed groups of local politicians were also
reported. The
latest was at 1 a.m. of election day (May 10) itself when a hand grenade was
thrown and exploded at the Municipal Treasurer’s Office of Taft town in
Eastern Samar, destroying election paraphernalia. Unidentified
armed men were also reported going around Calbayog City and Biri Island in
Northern Samar, campaigning for their local candidates. Eight men linked to the
armed private armies of local politicians were arrested for illegal possession
of firearms. Meanwhile,
the private army of big landlord Aznar was reported to have harassed voters in
Tabango, Leyte, also on May 10. A total of 60 households or 287 voters were
reportedly disenfranchised, as a result of the incident. Red
scare
A
week before the elections, attacks against the party-list Bayan Muna and five
other progressive party-list groups in the tri-media heightened. A
three-day paid advertisement was published in the region’s only daily
newspaper Leyte-Samar Daily Express (LSDE) starting May 6 or four
days before the elections. “It was signed by the ‘People’s Broad National
Democratic Alliance,’ a never-heard-of organization,” Melvin Anino,
secretary-general of Bayan-Sinirangan Bisayas said.
“The
ad was consistent with the public pronouncement of National Security Adviser
Norberto Gonzalez accusing that a connection between the party-list groups and
the revolutionary underground exists, which was never been proven by the
former,” Anino elaborated. Reports
from Task Force Bantay Eleksyon also revealed that soldiers hanged streamers,
posted computer printouts or spray painted on walls messages declaring the six
progressive party-list groups as NPA fronts. One of the streamers read, “NPA
Party-lists – Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Anak ng Bayan, Migrante and
Suara Bangsamoro ‘Wag Iboto…Salot sa Bayan!” Other
messages were: "Isulong ang agenda ng NPA sa Kongreso!"
allegedly signed by the NPA. This was evident along the Maharlika highway in the
two districts of Samar, in various municipalities of Leyte Island and other
parts of Eastern and Northern Samar and even in Southern Leyte and Biliran
provinces. Vote
buying
Rampant
vote-buying incidents were observed in all the six provinces of the region.
Fake P1,000 and P500 bills reportedly used in vote buying were circulated
in Borongan, Eastern Samar; Calbayog City in Samar and MacArthur, Mayorga,
Tanauan and Tacloban City in Northern Leyte province. A
certain Lilia Cajipe of MacArthur town surrendered to local police 47 pieces of
fake one thousand-peso bills allegedly used by Sangguniang Bayan
(municipal council) candidates Leo Animos and Sandrex Tampil. On the other hand,
two police officers – SPO2 Virgilio Capongcol and SPO3 Ibañez, also of the
same town reportedly confiscated fake 500-peso bills on election day. Vote
buying in the region ranged from P30 or P50-P150 for the local positions while
P100-P500 for congressional, gubernatorial and national seats. Twenty-four
incidents of vote buying were recorded by the task force.
Missing
ballots and snatching
Task
Force Bantay Eleksyon also cited 10 incidents of ballot snatching/missing on May
10. These happened in the towns of
San Jorge, Gandara, and Calbayog City in Western Samar; Mayorga and Isabel in
Leyte and in the municipality of Pambujan in Northern Samar province. Meanwhile,
missing ballots were reported in one of the precincts in Brgy. San Jose, Dulag,
Leyte on election day. Fraud
and irregularities
On
the other hand, Task Force Pollwatch, a separate group convened by the
progressive party-list groups Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Anak ng Bayan Youth Party
and Gabriela Women’s Party in the region reported cases of fraud and
irregularities. Nestor
Nirza, documentor-tabulator of the said task force, said “Incidents of dagdag-bawas
(vote padding and shaving) were reported in Maydolong, Eastern Samar and Lapinig,
Victoria and Lope de Vega towns in Northern Samar.” Based
on the certificates of canvass (COC), Bayan Muna garnered 101 votes in Maydolong
town but in the statement of votes (SOV), the tally reflected just one
vote for the said party-list. The
discrepancy of 100 votes was reportedly credited for Banat, another party-list,
which follows Bayan Muna in the list. Banat is the party national security aide
Norberto Gonzales. Meanwhile,
while the COC of the same town reflected 92 votes for Anakpawis party-list, the
provincial canvass showed zero vote for the party-list. “This is very odd
since, Anakpawis provincial chairperson in Eastern Samar lives in the
municipality. He would definitely vote for the party he represents,” Nirza
explained. The
same trends were seen in the town of Lapinig, Victoria and Lope de Vega towns in
Northern Samar. The canvass watchers filed complaints to the Provincial Board
of Canvassers but said complaints were denied despite of the merit of the
claims. In
Brgy. Iguid, Catbalogan, Samar, local leaders reported that Anak ng Bayan
party-list was not included in the tally sheets used for counting of votes, thus
neglecting the votes cast for the said party. Meanwhile, Nirza noted “In San
Isidro and Villaba towns of the third congressional district of Leyte, we find
it irregular that COCs do not bear the votes cast in words but only the
numerical figures.” Unlawful
arrests and abductions
The
election campaign also witnessed several incidents of abductions and arrests of
members of progressive party-list groups. On
the eve of the elections, five members of Bayan Muna in Leyte were arrested and
detained by the local police. They
were accused of distributing campaign materials in violation of the campaign ban
day before election day. The five however said they were simply on their way to
their own barangays to distribute appointments of poll watchers.
They were released on May 11 since the charges against them lacked merit. Meanwhile,
four armed men on board a black Delica van abducted two coordinators of the
party-list Bayan Muna (People First) last Feb. 21. Jacqueline Paguntalan, 26, of
Taft, Eastern Samar, and Rolando Fortaliza, 30, of Ormoc City, were reportedly
abducted morning of Feb. 21 at Agta Beach in Brgy. Kilim, Baybay town in
Northern Leyte while they were on their way out after they took some
refreshment. The two came to Baybay, Leyte to attend a meeting of the
party. The two are still missing as of press time. On
March 10, Joy Paloma, community organizer of the party-list Anakpawis (Toiling
Masses) was arrested by elements of the 46th Infantry Battalion of
the Philippine Army at Brgy. Hiloctugan, Carigara, Leyte on suspicion of being a
New People’s Army (NPA) organizer.
Meanwhile,
two members of Anakpawis party-list in Capoocan town were reportedly coerced by
elements of the 46th IB headed by 1Lt. Eugene Muyco to accompany
soldiers in full battle gear during their military operation within the area. Military
and police intervention?
Just
before the elections, massive movements of troops and redeployments were
monitored in the region. On
May 5, elements of the 20th IB PA were deployed to Calbayog City in
Western Samar and Catarman in Northern Samar.
Troops
from the 46th IB PA were also monitored in Dagami town in Leyte.
They temporarily occupied the town’s gymnasium during their stay in the
area. Meanwhile, several companies from the same army unit
conducted foot patrols in Luneta, Lapaz and Sta. Isabel, MacArthur and in the
towns of Jaro and Carigara in Leyte. Active
military operations were noted in the towns of Silvino Lobos, San Isidro,
Victoria in Northern Samar; Matuguinao, Gandara, San Jorge, Motiong, Paranas,
Pinabacdao, Sta. Rita and Basey in Western Samar; Borongan in Eastern Samar;
Lapaz, MacArthur and Albuera in Northern Leyte. Despite
reinforced police and military presence in the areas, failures of elections were
declared in several barangays in Calbayog City and Ormoc City, which were
considered to be “election hotspots” several months before the polls. In Lapaz, Leyte, elements of the 19th IB PA reportedly tore off Anak ng Bayan and Bayan Muna campaign posters in the vicinity of Brgy. Luneta during their military operation. “This is tantamount to campaigning against the progressive party-lists, which is prohibited among government officials by our anti-electioneering laws,” said Asher Allunar, regional coordinator of Anak ng Bayan (Nation’s Youth) Youth Party. Bulatlat.comWe want to know what you think of this article.
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