ALL the Commissioner [Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos] needs is political will and the Magsaysay no-nonsense, to-hell-with-niceties attitude… and above all, a little common sense.
All he has to do is cancel all gun permits — absolutely all, not even handguns for candidates and bodyguards.
Replace the entire PNP [Philippine National Police] and AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] elements in Abra and replace them with new PMA [Philippine Military Academy] graduates as officers with their handpicked men, all without anything to do with Abra, no relatives, no in-laws, preferably from Visayas or Mindanao or from the Tagalog area or Bicol in Luzon. Then enforce the law without fear or favor or politics and throw the book at everybody.
Candidates without guns or bodyguards will be the first to flee the province. Then Abalos will be rid of the root of the problem — the politicians running for office. Then other candidates with no
inclination to violence can be elected to office in Abra in a democratic, non-violent exercise of suffrage.A
ll these are within his powers as Comelec Commissioner. If these are not within his powers, the
welfare of the country and the good of the people which are the highest source of power confer upon him such extraordinary powers in extraordinary times. Abalos can apply the same formula to all other troubled provinces. Abalos, who prides himself in being a former golf caddy, is in a unique position to clean up Philippine elections in the provinces — never mind the national contests — and sweep away violent provincial dynasties from power, thus rendering an invaluable service to the Filipino people, if only to redeem himself from his failed and
discredited election computerization program.
Abalos can make a name for himself and step out from President Arroyo’s shadow to do something really heroic and revolutionary for his country and for his grandchildren to be proud of him once again. He can sweep away the country’s violent political dynasties. Magsaysay could have done it.
But of course, Abalos is no Magsaysay. Or, can Abalos do a Magsaysay?
– Enrique Angeles, Buena Park, California (via e-mail)
June 11th, 2007 at 1:34 am
Home > Regions > Mindanao Maguindanao poll fraud whistleblower shot dead
06/10/2007 | 06:24 PM
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Fr: Salina
Now, They’re killing these people who is willing to testifiy for the cheating operation of Gloria Arroyo, Et al. So that nobody can point the finger on them. The comelec is not even willing to bring the witness to the witness stand so the can speak up for the truth, Who is really behind those cheating operation in Maguinadanao. Make no mistake the filipino people already know who they’re. None other but Gloria Arroyo, And her TUTA’S. Because they’re the only one can benifit all these cheating to ensure their winning in May 14, 2007. Election. This is worse than May 10, 2004. Presidential election. Each time to overhaul the entire corrupt government office’s. They’re useless! instead of protecting and serve the filipino people they’re the one killing the filipino people.
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us A public school official who exposed alleged electoral fraud in Pagalungan, Maguindanao, was gunned down Saturday night at an Islamic school in the municipality by unidentified men, police said Sunday.
The fatality was identified as Musa Dimasidsing, Maguindanao Schools District Supervisor.
Chief Supt. Felizardo Serapio Jr., Central Mindanao police director, said Dimasidsing died of gunshot wounds to the face and chest.
Maguindanao has 300,000 voters and the province drew controversy when the administration senatorial candidates scored a 12-0 sweep there in a preliminary count late last month.
Dimasidsing, the designated election supervisor in Maguindanao during the elections, reportedly witnessed the alleged rigging of the votes in the province.
She also filed a complaint against several members of the Board of Election Inspectors after accusing them of committing irregularities in the canvassing of results in Pagalungan.
Dimasidsing was said to be the one who also confirmed the testimonies of Pagalungan Elementary School teachers that they were harassed and intimidated by political operators behind the town’s election irregularities.
She also reported to authorities that four ballot boxes were snatched by armed men believed working for a politician in Pagalungan during the May 14 elections.
Dimasidsing death came as Comelec commissioners in Manila are starting to get a clearer picture of the wholesale cheating in Maguindanao.
Volunteers from an independent watchdog authorized by the Comelec have complained they were not allowed to monitor the vote counting, and were not provided with election returns from the province.
Opposition spokesman Adel Tamano had said it planned to present the testimonies of five witnesses from Maguindanao to the elections commission who claimed to have seen incidents of cheating. One witness, who was not identified, said in TV and newspaper interviews that vote-counters were ordered to fill out ballots with the names of the 12 administration senatorial candidates.
The Comelec has formed Task Force Maguindanao to dig deeper into the electoral fraud allegation in the province.
Identifying the people responsible for the missing certificates of canvass and statement of votes would be the main job of Task Force Maguindanao.
Comelec Commissioner and task force chief Nicodemo Ferrer said, however, that the task force has not yet make any movements in the investigation since it is still waiting for the formal report coming from the provincial board of canvassers (PBOC) that handled the canvassing of the Maguindanao votes at the provincial level.
“I don’t think they have completed their report. From there, we start analyzing the persons in the Comelec who may be liable. So we will start our investigation there,” Ferrer said.
Aside from unmasking Comelec personnel involved in the cheating in the province, Ferrer said they would also arrest even those who are not poll employees but “[who] are responsible also for corrupting our people.”
Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos formed the Task Force Maguindanao after the election documents from the province have not been delivered to the Comelec 26 days after the May 14 polls.
Maguindanao PBOC chairman Lintang Bedol was able to attend a canvassing procedure of the Comelec, during which he admitted that poll watchers of the political parties and volunteers of poll watchdogs were not present during the canvassing.
Bedol brought with him the provincial Certificate of Canvass but he failed to bring the municipal COC and the statement of votes per precincts.
The commission then summoned Bedol after snubbing the succeeding proceedings despite notices sent to him by the Comelec.
Abalos ordered the placing of Bedol’s name in the Bureau of Immigration’s watch list and he was given until Tuesday to appear to Comelec or he will be arrested.
Meantime, Comelec is trying to determine if there was a failure of elections in Maguindanao and if there is a need to hold special elections there.
The poll body had summoned the local officials in the 22 municipalities in Maguindanao in order to get their reactions and also show proof why the Comelec should not conduct the special elections in the province after the PBOC failed to conduct the recanvassing of the COCs from the area last Wednesday.
“They must present evidence.. that elections were indeed held in Maguindanao and that
they were duly elected and proclaimed,” Abalos added
June 10th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Tim
I tend to agree with Mr. Enrique Angeles of Buena Park, California.
But I would use unarmed Philippine Military graduating cadets at this point with armed back ups and lots of media.
However, on the other side of the coin, this may be easier said than done.
We have a long way to go to becoming truly a country not ruled by political dynasties.
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Fr: Salina
If every percint have media to watch all the counting of votes and report it, Just like they did this election. All the cheating operation of Gloria Arroyo, Et al. Well be recorded. But these comelec operator don’t want the media cover all the counting because they won’t be able to cheat freely.
I’m glad the people join hand and watch the counting of ballots otherwise they never catch these cheating operation of Gloria Arroyo. Imagine the comelec the one doing the cheating for her. Garapalan na talaga! If her tuta wins this election she’ll be in power forever. You can beat on that.
June 10th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
adiaz
the comelec of today have the power to make this elections safe and clean.. but do not have the guts to do it. with their comelec gun ban, there are more guns that kill have proliferated the country. it is indeed very dangerous to let the young pma cadets to do the job of the pnp/army even if they imposed total gun ban as this will be futile as what is happening now. both the unlicensed and licensed guns are in the hands of most candidates, their supporters and the outlaws. its disappointing that everytime there is a violence and killing, our comelec will say that somebody have to file a complaint before they can act.. even if the violence is right before their noses. and when a complaint is filed, you have to wait for the next election before it is acted on or decided. we need to first change the whole system and people at the comelec if we are to hope for a better election in this country. or maybe, our lawmakers do not want to have a change in the comelec.. where these candidates can no longer cheat or do their ugly thing!
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Fr: Salina
The comelec is not doing their job they suppose too. They’re only their to do the cheating for the bugos president of cebu. As we all ready can see it. They got caught doing their cheating operation and they were saying is a typing error. Duh…..
But if didn’t got caught I’ll bet you they’re going to say, mission accomplish.
then they all be laughing all the way to the bank. I’ll say, Its time to get rid of all the corrupt government employees. Its overdue! Kick them all out.
June 10th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
urduja
marami ng walang tiwala sa comelec; wala na silang kredibilidad. pangitang pangita na partisan sila. sunud-sunuran lang kay gma. pano naman, c gma ang nagluklok sa kanila sa posisiyon kaya dapat silang sumunod sa lahat ng inuutos nito. mahirap maibalik ang tiwala ng tao. madaling maging tao pero mahirap magpakatao.ang reputasyong nadungisan mahirap ng linisin. mahirap ng mabura kung ano ang mga masasamang nakatanim sa isip ng tao. marami tuloy ayaw ng bumoto. boboto ka nga, dadayain naman. pero ako, nakikilahok pa rin sa eleksyon pero nasa isip ko pa rin na madaya ang mga ibinoto ko. wala akong magagawa, simpleng tao lang ako. yung mga nasa malacanang malaki magagawa para mandaya. marami silang pera, saan naggaling? ewan? baka sa buwis ko, baka sa buwis mo. maraming batikang opisyales ang napakagaling sa pagmamaniobra ng resulta ng eleksyon hello ben, asan na si hello garci???? di man lang naimbestigahan at ang lakas pa ng loob na kumandidatong congressman!
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Fr: Salina
If you’re paying income taxes you’re paying all these people working in government office’s. We the people have power to kick their ass out. Because we are the one paying their salary. If they’re not doing their job they suppose too. Kick them out and hired somebody who can do their job they suppose too. Kaya lang mahirap mag hanap ng honest people halos lahat nalang corrupt. Just looke at these comelec office. They did the cheating for Gloria Arroyo, Because they receive plenty of money from her, And thats the taxespayer’s money my dear. They’re robbing the government coffer.
June 10th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
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ABALOS stands for
A - dversarry of TRUTH
B - ad Example and Leader
A - ndroid / puppet
L - ack of credibility
O - ppressor
S - hut up..quick count!!!
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Fr: Salina
Well you can’t expect anything good from these comelec operator’s they’re all crooks just like their boss who is squatting in malacanyang palace.