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Midterm Philippine Elections: A Preliminary Report
Introduction
This is the third report of the Bantay-Eleksyon 2007 or
the People’s Coalition to Monitor the 2007 Elections. It
covers the May 14, 2007 election day and immediate
events leading to it. As such, this constitutes a
preliminary report, based only on the available data
obtained through media and field reports of monitoring.
The full report, with an exhaustive analysis of the
election process from start to finish, will be issued in
one month’s time.
This preliminary report covers the following areas of
the May 14 elections:
a. Final preparations for the elections
b. Final election campaigns
c. Actual holding of the May 14 elections
d. Electoral violence
e. Electoral anomalies at the precinct level
f. Municipal-level canvassing
g. Election monitoring
A. Final preparations for the elections
The final preparations of the Commission on Elections
mainly consists of the following: 1) Transportation and
shipping of election forms and paraphernalia to
municipalities and to the Board of Inspectors; 2) Final
constitution of the Board of Inspectors and Board of
Canvassers; 3) Reshuffling of election officers and
other deputized government personnel; 4) Posting of and
information on the certified voters list; and 5) Final
determination of projects of precincts.
In the main, these preparations were made and completed
in time for the holding of the elections, except in
several places, mostly remote, where these preparations
were made even up to the day of elections. The Comelec
itself, through Chairman Benjamin Abalos, declared “95%
of the preparations were completed.” The entire Comelec
is to be commended in this regard.
However, troubling instances of irregularities regularly
occurred nationwide that created uncertainty—and even
suspicion—about the political will and capacity of the
Comelec to conduct clean and honest elections. The
following major irregularities occurred and reported:
1. Possession of seemingly genuine accountable forms,
ballot boxes, and other election paraphernalia with
unauthorized persons. This was already reported in
Laguna and in Mindanao. The report by ABS-CBN reporter
Ricky Carandang on the existence of seemingly genuine
election returns (ERs), complete with security markings,
is particularly disturbing.
2. Widespread irregularities in the certified voters
list (CVL). Despite the Comelec announcement of the
cleansing of 1.13 million unqualified persons from the
CVL, there are numerous reports of inclusion of dead
people, overseas workers and other manifestly
unqualified persons in the CVL. The CVLs in many cities
and towns also reflect unbelievable increases or
decreases in the number of voters, amounting from at
least 10% up to more than 100% of the 2004 CVLs.
3. Confusion in the project of precincts. The
last-minute practice of precinct rearrangement has added
confusion to voters who already are coping with the
difficulty of finding their names in the CVL. This also
posed problems to candidates and their campaign people.
4. Irregularities in assigning and reassigning of Comelec personnel, police deputies, and members of Board
of Inspectors (BEIs) and Board of Canvassers (BOCs).
There were reports of last-minute rejection of teachers
from BEI duties and their replacement by non-teachers.
There were also concerns raised regarding promotion and
assignment of Comelec personnel named or implicated in
the Garcillano tapes affair.
5. Partisan activities, illegal or irregular conduct by Comelec and deputized personnel. There were reports of
officials of the Comelec and deputized agencies such as
the PNP, AFP, DepEd, and DILG giving instruction to
lower officials for partisan activities. There were also
reports of Comelec officials tampering with voter lists
and other official forms for partisan ends.
B. Final election campaigns
The senatorial and local campaigns ended on midnight of
May 12, 2007 with miting de avance and last-minute
sorties. Some senatorial candidates also intensified the
use of the mass media, particularly the television ads.
In this case, more than 85 percent of their media budget
went to television.
However, a darker side of the homestretch campaign was
reported from all over the country—the frenzied
negotiations for votes in exchange for money or
endorsement of candidates.
1. Vote-buying and vote-selling. This involved both the
vote-buying of individual votes and block of votes
controlled or influenced by political candidates or
brokers at the local level. There were reports of
vote-pricing ranging from PhP 500 to as high as PhP
7,000 per vote.
2. Junking of partymates and cross-endorsement of
opposing candidates. Junking of partymates and
cross-endorsement of candidates from opposing parties
abounded and reflected on the different “sample ballots”
distributed just before and on election day.
C. Actual holding of the May 14 elections
The May 14, 2007 elections were successfully held.
Comelec declared a failure of election in at least 10
municipalities in Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and
Sharif Kabungsuan due to electoral violence. Comelec
also initially estimated that 75% of registered voters
voted, with about 14% among overseas absentee voters and
85% among domestic absentee voters.
Widespread reports of electoral violence, problems in
precinct-hunting, voter disenfranchisement, and illegal
electioneering marred an otherwise peaceful and orderly
conduct of the elections.
1. Voter confusion and disenfranchisement. There are
reports of bonafide voters losing their names in the CVL—with
early estimates of at least 100,000 voters being
disenfranchised. Hunting of precincts and names in the
CVL frustrated many voters. There were accusations of a
pattern in the mix-up of voters and precincts favoring
certain candidates.
2. Illegal electioneering. There were reports of
widespread production and distribution of sample ballots
to voters even in the vicinity of polling places. There
were also reports of candidates or their supporters
campaigning or conducting election propaganda during
election day.
3. Partisan activities of election officers and
deputies. There were reports of members of BEIs or
watchers giving instructions on who to vote to voters in
the precincts. There were also reports of members of
BEIs, police, or election watchers shutting the
precincts after the voting period ends and preventing
watchers and independent observers from observing the
preparations for counting.
D. Electoral violence
As of May 14, 2007, the Philippine National
Police (PNP) reported to the media 114 deaths and 132
wounded victims in 191 election-related violent
incidents (ERVIs). Of the 114 deaths, 59 were identified
to be candidates, 55 were supporters. The PNP issued
statements on election day that, despite the reported
incidence of violence “the situation is generally
peaceful except for some untoward incidents” and “only
30% of the incidents are election related.”
The PNP also reported that 52 out of the 90 private
armies or partisan armed groups (PAGs) had been
dismantled. PAGs' activities in Abra and Masbate, among
others have been prominent in the various
election-related incidents.
A gun ban was implemented by the Comelec. However, only
2,176 have been recovered in addition to the 195
explosives, and 325 bladed weapons. Most cases of
confiscation and arrest for gun ban violation are
reported to be from the CALABARZON region. Regions 6,
10, and 3 are the other regions which figured high in
the cases of gun ban violation.
There are a lot of questions on these statistics and
assessments by the PNP.
1. Misclassification of cases already reported in the
media as election-related. Three general categories are
used by PNP to classify ERVIs: politically motivated,
not politically motivated, and for validation. The data
released by PNP as of April 25, 2007, when compared with
media and BE area monitoring reports did not include
more than half of the incidents which happened during
the same period covered by the PNP report.
In some instances, what can be clearly classified as
election related cases were classified by the PNP report
as “not politically motivated.” Notable examples were
the murder case of Kalinga Vice Governor and
gubernatorial candidate Rommel W. Daisen and the two
incidents of ambush of journalists in Nueva Ecija and
Laguna.
There is also an observed increase in the number of
local officials targeted who are either incumbent or are
running for a post in this midterm election. Meanwhile,
most supporters of politicians who were subjected to
election violence are also barangay officials.
2. Ineffective presence of police and military forces in
hot spots. In Abra, Masbate, Nueva Ecija and other
places tagged as “areas of immediate concern,” the
police were not able to prevent nor control the
continuing violence in these areas. In some incidents,
police units, especially the regional and provincial
mobile groups were involved or suspected to be involved.
E. Electoral anomalies at the precinct level
While many precinct-level voting and counting were
conducted in accordance with electoral laws and correct
procedures, there were also many cases of irregularities
at the precinct level. Some examples are the following:
1. Vote buying. In Manila, two men were arrested Monday
for allegedly selling their votes to a congressional
candidate. Charged for violation of the Omnibus Election
Code were Rolando Acosta and Armando de Guia.
Superintendent Joveth Asayo, Manila Police District
Station 4 Commander, said the two were caught on camera
accepting bribes in exchange for their votes. The votes
were allegedly for congressional candidate Boots Bacani,
wife of outgoing Manila Rep. Rodolfo Bacani. Police,
however, failed to arrest Bacani's alleged "operator."
In Tacloban, Police arrested a supporter of mayoralty
candidate Alfred Romualdez for reportedly distributing
money "to buy votes." Arrested was Jarby Martinez, a
casual employee of the Tacloban City government. He was
reportedly seen in Barangay 62-A Kalipayan while handing
a plastic bag to his contact. The plastic bag reportedly
contained several envelopes containing money and samples
ballots of Romualdez. Romualdez, however, denied having
to do anything with the aborted vote-buying.
In Bacoor, Cavite, police caught an alleged supporter of
Mayor Jessie Castillo reportedly in the act of
distributing money and sample ballots at the eve of the
elections. Police arrested Elvie Telmo inside her house
in Barangay Talaba 1 where she was reportedly
distributing envelopes containing cash to voters.
Enclosed with the money are sample ballots from the camp
of Mayor Castillo. Seized from her possession were 50
envelopes, several sample ballots and list of voters.
Also arrested were two of Mayor Castillo's poll
watchers. Mayor Castillo, meanwhile, refused to comment
on the arrest. He said he has nothing to do with Telmo's
activities. Police nabbed two supporters of Caloocan
City congressional candidate Egay Erice who were caught
distributing rice along Macabalo Street. Ana Urbano and
Fe Esperet admitted to police that they were supporters
of Erice. Erice, however, said the rice distribution was
meant for his poll watchers.
In Basilan, congressional candidate Wahab Akbar
complained that his rival political group is engaged in
vote-buying. A certain "Juny" ,not his real name, told
ABS-CBN that a supporter of Akbar's rival congressional
bet Jim Saliman handed him an envelop containing money
11 a.m. Sunday in Tuburan, Basilan. Aside from the cash
amounting to P39,000 in P1,000 and P500 denomination,
Saliman's supporter only identified as "Daks" also gave
him three cell cards with a picture of Saliman.Akbar's
camp said they plan to take legal action against
Saliman.
In Pampanga, reelectionist Gov. Mark Lapid reported
alleged vote-buying in Floridablanca, Sta. Rita, San
Simon and Magalang towns, and the City of San Fernando.
The wife of a barangay captain was reported to have also
distributed five kg of rice and P500 in Alasas, also in
San Fernando. Power outages were reported in Guagua and
Sasmuan. The Lapid camp traced all these to the camp of
his rival, Board Member Lilia Pineda and some candidates
in her slate.
In Benguet, missing names became the biggest headache of
voters in the elections. This time, though, the
confusion was aggravated by disputes over election
procedures. Protests over the placement of voter secrecy
folders were aired. Others argued over who should place
ballots in the ballot box—the chair of the BEI or the
voter.
Gregorio Taag, coordinator of the Parish Pastoral
Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) in La Trinidad,
said the group's field volunteers reported that many
voters decided to go home since they could not find
their names.
2. Coaching of voters. Coaching of voters inside
election precincts were rampant in Marawi City, said
Jessica Tulloch, IOM spokesperson for the Lanao del Sur
team. Tulloch said they saw poll watchers sit beside
voters and dictate candidates' names to be written on
the ballots.
3. Inclusion of names of the dead. In Isabela, some
voters complained of missing names and the inclusion of
the dead in the list, among others. And even the name of
the late Philippine Star publisher Max Soliven was still
on a voters' list in San Juan.
4. Harassment. In Cagayan, reelectionist Gov. Edgar Lara
asked Comelec officials to check the harassment of poll
watchers in Alcala and Gattaran towns.
5. Abduction. A poll watcher of a mayoral candidate
escaped an abduction in Sto. Domingo at 11:30 a.m. Erwin
Gregorio, a poll watcher of mayoral candidate Herbie
Aguas, reported that unidentified men tried to force him
into a Honda Civic car. The abductors did not succeed
when some bystanders came, forcing the suspects to flee.
6. Bomb scare. A cardboard box left under a lamp post
beside the Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Cotabato triggered
a bomb scare at a canvassing center in Cotabato City.
7. Bombing & shooting. At least six election-related
violence incidents occurred in the last 12 hours up to
the close of polling precincts at 3 p.m. today. At
around 12:30 am, Eliseo Comawas, 32, a supporter of
reelectionist Mayor Santiago Barcelona, was shot in the
head near his house in Escalante, Negros Occidental. A
bomb exploded about three hours later at the campaign
headquarters of Vincente Sese, a candidate for
councilor, in Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City.
In Basilan, a shooting incident between rival mayoralty
candidates Hajarun Jamiri and Alih Sali killed one
person and wounded five at around 8:30 am. At around 9
am, a rocket-propelled grenade exploded near the
Balanagan Elementary School in Zamboanga del Sur,
wounding two.
At around 10:30 a.m., three unidentified gunmen fired
upon 80 voters in Tupi, South Cotabato. No one was
wounded in the attack. An hour later, unidentified
suspects hurled two grenades near the Maguindanao
Elementary School, a voting precinct in Pagalungan,
Maguindanao, where one was wounded.
8. Disenfranchisement. The son of senatorial bet
Gregorio Honasan couldn't vote in Marikina since his
name was nowhere on the voters' list. In Las Pińas, it's
the bets who have been "disenfranchised." Election
watchdog Halalang Marangan said that the names of
senatorial candidates Ralph Recto (Team Unity) and
Antonio Trillanes IV (Genuine Opposition) were missing
in the voting lists in certain precincts in the city.
9. Fake money. Various media organizations have also
reported that there have been various incidents of
vote-buying all over the country. Akbay Pinoy has been
accused by an anonymous source of vote buying. A vote
for the said party-list organization was being offered
in exchange for cell phone credits.
In an interview with a source from Bukidnon, Newsbreak
also found out that sample ballots with a fake peso bill
bearing the face of Virgilio Garcillano circulated near
polling precincts.
10. Ballot snatching. ABS-CBN regional and radio reports
said unidentified armed men snatched ballot boxes in the
provinces of Shariff Kabunsuan and Lanao del Sur. n
Shariff Kabunsuan, DZMM reported that a shooting ensued
between two policemen guarding ballot boxes in Barangay
Gambar and an undetermined number of armed men. The
armed men were able to escape with two ballot boxes.
ABS-CBN also bared another incident of ballot snatching
in Calanogas town in Lanao del Sur. Pictures shot by a
National Movement for Free Elections volunteer revealed
that ballot boxes in a village in Calanogas were
destroyed while documents inside them were torn. Three
ballot boxes were reported missing while some ballot
boxes arrived in Calanogas without election returns.
F. Municipal-level canvassing
The municipal canvassing is ongoing as of press time.
There are already reports of various problems and
anomalies that cropped up. These included the delayed
transmission of election results to the canvassing
centers, delay in starting of canvassing, prevention of
watchers during certain parts of the canvassing process,
replacement or attempts to replace election returns, and
brown-outs in canvassing areas.
Preliminary Findings
1. The midterm Philippine elections, in so far as the
voting process was conducted in a largely peaceful and
orderly manner, can be termed a qualified success.
However, there are widespread confusion among voters,
significant level of electoral violence, and increasing
signs of electoral fraud.
2. The Commission on Elections, in so far as it
undertook the preparations for and supervision of actual
electoral processes, did its job adequately.
Unfortunately, this is overshadowed by its failings in
terms of transparency, implementation of election laws,
independence and non-partisanship, and efficiency. Its
various immediate attempts at institutional reforms so
far have not produced any significant improvement. This
basically guarantees that its problem of credibility
will not be solved nor alleviated by its conduct in
these elections.
3. Urgent and comprehensive electoral reforms are called
for, starting with the total revamp of the Commission on
Elections. Electoral modernization, revision of the
Omnibus Election Code, political party reform and
campaign financing regulation, citizen-voter education,
electoral administration reforms, and party-list system
reforms are just some of the more urgent ones. The
post-election Comelec needs to embrace these reforms and
actively implement them.. |
