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Monday, May 14, 2007
Violence, missing names hound polls
* Voters' turnout estimated at 60 to 85%; polls described as 'peaceful, orderly'
* Arroyo tells candidates to accept outcome of elections
* Poll body resets polls in Lanao town due to 'flying voters'
* Makati mayor accosts 7 poll watchers of Arroyo party
CEBU CITY -- (Updated 8:48 p.m.) Election-related violence and the usual problem of voters failing to find their names in the list marred the conduct of the mid-term elections on Monday.
Nevertheless, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the police declared the political exercise as "generally peaceful."
Sun.Star Election 2007 Timeline
Join Sun.Star's online hotline with Comelec spokesman James Jimenez from May 14 (Monday), 6 a.m. to May 15 (Tuesday), 6 a.m. (RP time) and report poll-related incidents in your area.
In the Sun.Star website's online hotline at www.sunstar.com.ph/chat, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said most of the polling precincts have functioned and the conduct of the elections was generally peaceful.
“We think the turnout may indeed be higher than average. We remain optimistic that this will be called a successful election,” Jimenez said.
Latest updates from the Comelec showed that estimated turnout at the National Capital Region was pegged at 70 to 75 percent with all of the polling precincts functioning.
Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos also said Monday's elections were "generally peaceful and orderly" but admitted that problems marred the voting.
"There seems to be an overall confusion all over the country. I for one was confused in the sense that I knew where my voting precinct is but locating the voting precinct is another story," he said.
He also said that close to 100,000 voters were disenfranchised after the Comelec postponed or declared a failure of elections in several municipalities in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) and other provinces nationwide.
PNP Chief Oscar Calderon said the elections were "relatively peaceful" and he is confident that "it will be the ultimate outcome until after the entire election process is completed."
"However, we are not lowering our guard just yet. Our experience tells us that the counting and canvassing of votes is the most critical stage in the election process that it sometimes lead to confrontation between contending parties," Calderon said.
A few hours before the voting precincts close at 3 p.m., Camp Crame officials said they have recorded at least 191 election-related violent incidents that left 114 people, including some candidates, dead and 132 others wounded since the election period started last January 16.
In Bucay, Abra, the village chief was reported killed by private armed groups. Sun.Star also received reports that elections in Cosili, Bangued, still in Abra province, was delayed because private armed groups reportedly terrorized residents there.
There were also reports of ballot switching in Abra and a declaration of failure of elections in the area was suggested. Estimated turnout at the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), where Abra is located, was at 75 to 80 percent.
Also in Bucay, Provincial Board Member Eduardo Gonzales, a close ally of reelectionist mayor Rex Bernardez, was shot to death by a certain Jojo Sales. Sales is now in police custody.
In the Ilocos Region, estimated turnout was at 82 to 83 percent and all of the precincts have functioned while the conduct of elections was generally peaceful.
The high turnout and the generally peaceful conduct of elections were also reported in the Cagayan Valley Region.
Elections in Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog and Bicol Region reported an estimated turnout of 75 to 80 percent. Election was generally peaceful and orderly.
Western Visayas reported a 65 to 70 percent estimated turnout and a generally peaceful and orderly conduct of elections.
Meanwhile, grenade explosions, shooting incidents and terrorist bomb threat marred Monday’s election in many areas in Mindanao.
Based on the consolidated report from Kalinaw Mindanaw, the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (Armm) registered the most number of election violence Monday.
Kalinaw Mindanaw is a election watchdog based in Mindanao.
In Cotabato City, tension rose at the Comelec office around 10 a.m. as supporters of rival political camps of Tomawis and Macarimbang of Pagalungan, Maquindanao, pushed and shoved each other.
The incident prompted the police and military to tighten security in the area. Women, some of them elderly, reportedly got hurt in the scuffle.
An improvised explosive device was also recovered at Barangay Tangila in Pagalungan, Maguindanao, around 2:35 p.m. last Saturday. The explosive was placed along the national highway between Poblacion Pagalungan and Pikit Bridge. Personnel from the Army’s 71st Infantry were able to pinpoint and identify the location of the reported explosive and subsequently secured the bomb.
A barangay chairman from Pagalungan was also arrested around 9 a.m. Monday after a .45 caliber pistol with three magazines and 20 live rounds were recovered by the military in his possession.
The suspect was identified as Manabilang Tumagandang. He was accosted upon passing by a military checkpoint in Barangay Dadtumeg in Kabuntalan, Shariff Kabunsuan.
The village chief’s firearms reportedly have no pertinent documents for gun ban exemption.
Still in Pagalungan, a ballot snatching incident was reported in the four barangays of Bagoenged, Dalgan, Buliok and Kalbogan. A certain Kodzad Andoy, son of Mohammad Andoy, allegedly confiscated the ballot boxes around 8 a.m.
An hour later, Provincial Election Supervisor Lintang Bedol advised authorities that there was no ballot box snatching.
The election supervisor said board of election inspectors (BEIs) assigned to carry ballot boxes just went to a different route instead of the assigned area that was why there were speculations that ballot boxes were snatched.
But a report from the Office of the Civil Defense confirmed the ballot snatching in Dalgan, Pagalungan.
In Barangay Dalican, Datu Odin Sinsuat, two grenades exploded around 7 a.m. One exploded in a residential area while the other at the Dalican Elementary School. Voting in the area continued despite the twin explosion.
In Parang, Shariff Kabunsuan, the house of municipal councilor Esmael Lambay in Poblacion 2 was strafed by unidentified perpetrators. Personnel from the Army’s 37th Infantry rushed to the scene of incident to investigate and found two bullet holes.
In Marawi City, two persons died while another was hurt when they were attacked by unidentified gunmen early morning Monday. The three victims were allegedly flying voters and were first asked by the gunmen who they would vote for before they were shot.
In Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, an improvised bomb exploded at a waiting shed around 10:30 a.m. Monday. One Abdul Odin was wounded in the said explosion.
In Pagalungan, two hand grenades were lobbed by an unidentified perpetrator in front of the Galakit Elementary School wounding one Manaut Gani around 11:20 a.m.
In Banisilan, North Cotabato, two Army soldiers were reportedly flagged down by elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) around 3 p.m. Sunday.
In Barira, Maguindanao, 60mm mortar round was reportedly fired around 2:30 a.m. Monday from Barangay Birar in Talayan, Maguindanao. The ordnance reportedly landed at the Mindanao State University in Dalican, Shariff Kabunsuan. No one was reported injured, but some BEIs reportedly did not show up out of fear for their lives.
In the Caraga Region, a political leader of a mayoralty candidate in Tagbina, Surigao del Sur was shot by an unknown assailant around 4:45 a.m. Monday. The victim was identified as Rodrigo Bandola, political leader of mayoralty candidate Juanito Cuyno. The suspect is said to be a supporter of Cuyno’s political opponent.
In Surigao del Sur, the son of reelectionist Mayor Florecita Giron was arrested allegedly for gun-toting.
Municipal councilor Edwin Ramos of Maitum, Sarangani, was shot dead in Barangay Maguling around 7 a.m. Sunday.
Three explosions or shootouts happened in three barangays of Dimataling in Zamboanga del Sur that temporarily stopped the conduct of the election. Polling resumed later.
In Dapitan City, two unidentified men on board a motorcycle lobbed a grenade outside a polling precinct Sunday evening. The grenade reportedly hit a tree in front of the gate of the Opao Village Elementary School. No one was inside the school building at the time of the attack.
In Pantar, Lanao del Norte, Mayor Malik Alingan allegedly barred officials from the Comelec to proceed with the election due to alleged overstatement of registered voters by 2,492.
Elections were postponed in Pantar town following the discovery. Abalos told reporters in a press briefing that a special election will be held in Pantar within 30 days.
Also in the same town, the Comelec declared as "lost" a total of 3,702 official blank ballots that were duly received by its city treasurer.
Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, in-charge of Regions 9, 10 and Armm, said that in Lanao del Sur 10 municipalities with 60,000 to 70,000 registred voters failed to vote after the members of the board of election inspectors {BEIs] assigned in the municipalities refused to serve for fear of their safety.
Also on Monday, two motorcycle-riding men lobbed a grenade at the campaign headquarters of Vincent Sese in Barangay Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City before dawn. Sese is a candidate for councilor and supporter of Binay.
Makati City Police Director Gilbert Cruz said none of the 10 supporters of Sese who were sleeping in the headquarters at that time were hurt in the explosion but three vehicles parked inside the compound were damaged.
Hours before the attack, four unidentified men strafed the residence of former police general Aquilino Jacob Jr., a Binay supporter, on Escuela Street at about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday. No one was hurt in the incident
Unidentified men also also peppered with bullets the residence of former Makati councilor and congressional candidate Oscar Ibay early Monday morning. No one was hurt in the strafing incidents.
Tension also erupted at the San Antonio National High School in Barangay San Antonio, Makati City when Mayor Jejomar Binay arrested seven poll watchers of the administration party Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi).
When Binay, who is president of the United Opposition (UNO), arrived in the school at about 8:30 a.m. to cast his vote accompanied by several supporters and escorts, he saw the poll watchers wearing blue t-shirts emblazoned with the word Kampi at the back.
Binay said he will file charges of illegal campaigning against administration candidates.
In Masbate, the son of the Milagros town mayoral candidate was killed following a clash with the candidate's political rival on Monday. Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) spokesman Rhoderick Parayno identified the fatality as Boy Abapo, son of mayoral candidate Lester Abapo and brother of town mayoral candidate Bernardito Abapo.
Parayno said the fatality was in the company of his brother Bernardito when their group traded gunfire with a group of their father's opponent, a certain Briones.
Commissioner Sarmiento said that except for a minor explosion, election "was generally peaceful" in Dipolog City. In Sulu, a shooting incident between local political rivals was reported on Monday.
A precinct in Basilan burned down but the election continued and in Datu Sharif Kabunsuan, a town mayor asked Comelec to declare a failure of election following reports that members of the board of election inspectors were "sitting" on ballot boxes.
Commissioner Ressureccion Borra said no untoward incident was reported in Regions 6 and 7.
In Lubao, Pampanga, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was among the first to cast their vote in the mid-term elections. Arroyo, clad in a red pantsuit, arrived on board a coaster at the Lubao Elementary School around 8 a.m. or 10 minutes after her son, reelectionist Representative Juan Miguel Arroyo arrived to cast his vote.
Much later in Manila, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo told candidates to be gracious in accepting the results of the elections and forget their rivalries for the sake of the country.
She thanked candidates from all political parties who participated in the elections "to the best of their ability, fairly and earnestly for the people's vote."
Arroyo also lauded the Comelec and its deputized agencies - the PNP and the Armed Forces - for safeguarding the elections. She thanked the religious, civic, and professional sectors and even the foreign observers who helped safeguard the vote.
First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and only daughter Evangelina Lourdes voted in Barangay Pansol in La Vista subdivision in Quezon City. The First Gentleman and his daughter were also among the early voters in the subdivision. They were accompanied by Team Unity senatorial bet Michael Defensor, who is also a voter in the area.
Evangelina assisted her father, who still had difficulty walking after undergoing an open heart surgery last April 9 at the St. Luke's Medical Center.
Youngest presidential child Diosdado Ignacio Jose Maria voted in Camarines Sur, where he is running for congressman in the province's first district.
In the southern Metro Manila cities of Las Piñas and Parañaque, confusion and massive vote-buying marred the elections.
In Parañaque City, the camp of incumbent Mayor Florencio Bernabe alleged that they have received reports of massive vote-buying in at least three barangays the day before elections and even on election day itself.
Nelson Lacambra, a spokesman for Bernabe, said some organized groups identified with former Mayor Pablo Olivarez were offering goods from bags of rice, groceries and money to some residents of barangays San Dionisio, Marcelo Green and Don Bosco on Sunday. The barangays are reportedly Bernabe's stronghold.
In Las Pinas, former Mayor Virgilio Nene Aguilar, the husband of incumbent Mayor Imelda Aguilar is running unopposed but confusion as to missing names in the voters' lists remained a problem.
No report of vote buying was recorded in the city but in barangay CAA, the biggest voting population with 43,909 voters, several passenger public utility jeeps (PUJs) were seen ferrying voters to and from the CAA Elementary School free of charge as early as 6 a.m. This scheme was also true in Barangay Talon and Pilar Village, a source said.
Filipinos are electing 12 out of 24 senators, all 236 House of Representatives members and nearly 17,500 governors, mayors and other local officials.
Several groups allied with the influential Roman Catholic Church and big businesses placed full-page newspaper advertisements on Sunday calling on Filipinos to avoid cheating.
"The citizens who sell their votes for any price deserve the government they install," said Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines.(Sunnex with reports from Ben Tesiorna of Sun.Star Davao/AP/Sun.Star Baguio/MSN/AH/JMR/VR/ECV)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (May 14, 2007 issue)
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