PDI: Militant groups list 54 cases of fraud, violence
Posted May 20, 2007 02:14:00 (Mla Time)
Inquirer
Alcuin Papa Norman Bordadora
MANILA, Philippines—Militant groups claimed yesterday they recorded 54 incidents of electoral fraud and violence in 30 areas allegedly perpetrated by military and police from May 14 to 18.
But the Philippine National Police claim not to have received any information on such incidents.
The militant groups should file formal complaints if they know of such cases, said Director Geary Barias, chief of the PNP’s Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM).
Citing reports from Task Force Poll Watch 2007, Kabataan party-list president and nominee Raymond Palatino said the incidents reported from all over the country ranged from the abduction and harassment of party-list volunteers and poll watchers; the presence of police and military in polling centers, and a smear and black propaganda campaign against progressive party-list groups, allegedly by the military and police.
Poll watch force
Task Force Poll Watch 2007 is an election-monitoring, documentation and quick reaction team formed by progressive party-list groups like Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis and Kabataan.
Among the areas these incidents were reported to have occurred were Porac, Pampanga; Guinto, Nueva Ecija; Nasugbu and Taysan in Batangas; Quezon; Masbate; Makati; Palawan; Marikina; Lanao del Sur and Isabela.
Palatino also cited the murder two Kabataan organizers and poll watchers in Camarines Sur and the abduction of poll watchers in Cagayan Valley and Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
“These killings and cases of political harassment are the worst forms of electoral fraud,” Palatino said.
Claims dismissed
But Barias dismissed the group’s claim. “We don’t know of any of these incidents. But maybe they should give us their list and we will investigate that and find out if the allegations are true or not,” he said in a phone interview.
He said it would be “best” for Palatino and his group to file formal complaints.
The Bantay Boto election watchdog yesterday claimed that pre-fabricated certificates of canvass and “pre-computed” election results would come into play next week to boost the ranking of at least three Team Unity candidates in the ongoing count.
Bantay Boto, a group of retired generals, military and police officers, said the stage was set after the first week of counting and the results of exit polls revealed to those behind the alleged Oplan Mercury Rising how many votes were needed “to overturn the early leads of opposition candidates.”
“Reports from the field confirm that the election fraud operators of Oplan Mercury Rising are ready to issue out pre-computed and pre-accomplished statements of votes and certificates of canvass at the municipal and provincial areas covered by the Oplan,” said retired Commodore Ismael Aparri, a Bantay Boto convenor.
‘Administration plan’
Oplan Mercury Rising is ostensibly an administration cheating plan to offset the opposition leads in Metro Manila and Luzon.
Aparri said that as in the 2004 elections, the opposition’s lead is expected to be wiped out with the vote, coming in from Cebu, Iloilo and Bohol. The coup de grace would come from Mindanao.
Opposition standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr.’s lead was wiped out when the votes from Cebu, Iloilo and Bohol and the President’s lead of one million was completed when the votes from special elections and the ARMM provinces were finally submitted as the last provinces to be canvassed, Aparri said.
Winning circle
“The idea is to push the senatorial bids of [Miguel] Zubiri, [Michael] Defensor and [Prospero] Pichay, among others, into the winning circle, even if they land in the last slots,” Aparri said.
“The magic number to add is at least two million votes in Oplan Mercury Rising provinces, roughly an average of 100,000 leads in about 20 provinces,” he said.
Bantay Boto said the needed votes would turn up in five provinces—Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sharif Kabunsuan and new additions in the oplan Sultan Kudarat and Surigao del Sur—which have a combined 1,349,410 registered voters.
Bantay Boto alleges that pre-computed totals from the five provinces would show Defensor leading all candidates with 967,434 votes, followed by Pichay with 960,898 votes.
Pangilinan would place third with 958,372 votes and Zubiri would be in the fourth spot with 954,361.
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