Maguindanao ballots filled in banana farm

Philippines bogus President Gloria Arroyo has consistent negative trust ratings since the power grab in 2001. In fact she was rejected by the majority of the Filipino electorate in 2004 presidential election. The rubber stamp Philippine Congress proclaimed her the “winner”? contrary to massive and systematic electoral fraud in Mindanao, Sulu, Cebu, Pampamga, Pangasisnan and Ilocos Sur. All protest and anomalies by the opposition were merely NOTED by her political allies in the joint congress vote canvassing. The repeat of 2004 electoral fraud is happening in Maguindanao, Lanao, Sulu and Cotabato. The resignation of Comelec Commissionaire Rene Sarmiento as Maguindanao poll investigator can be interpreted as, he can no longer stomach Malacanang’s dirty works. Perhaps he cannot produce thru hocus focus millions of votes in favor of losing TU bets.
The result of the senatorial race in favor of the opposition reflects the true sentiments of the Filipino people. Filipinos want her out. In her own turf, Pamapanga province two of GMA allies were castigated and rebuked by a crusading priest. Malacanang and the Comelec are desperate to change the outcome of election results in Moslem Mindanao regions thru massive and systematic electoral fraud in favor of Gloria Arroyo’s Team Unity. Evil Gloria Arroyo and her trusted dog Benjamin Abalos are inviting people’s uprising. Rebellion is justified if discredited and abusive government rams their agenda against the will of its citizens. It’s not right to send senators in the halls of congress without a popular mandate. Filipino patriots must protect sacred votes at all cost.



Maguindanao ballots
filled in banana farm
Teachers’ lament: ‘Will it always be like this?’

Malaya BY DENNIS GADIL

FOUR teachers surfaced yesterday to confirm that in a Maguindanao town, armed men operating in a banana farm filled up official ballots with names of Team Unity candidates.

The teachers, accompanied by re-electionist Sen. Panfilo Lacson at the Genuine Opposition headquarters in Makati City, served as Board of Election Inspectors in Pagalungan town, which has 12 barangays with at least 10,000 registered voters.

One of the teachers, Abdul (not his real name), said they were escorted by armed men to a remote area outside Libang town on the morning of May 14. He said they had just collected ballot boxes from the municipal hall in Pagalungan.

He said Provincial Election Supervisor Eliza Gazmin was inside the municipal hall when they were "abducted."

He said they thought the armed men, some in military jackets and jeans, were their military escorts to the polling precinct in Buliok.

He said they rode a van and then a pump boat, which took them to a remote place of banana stands.

"Pagkaahon namin sa pumpboat, lahat ng cell namin kinuha. Pinatay ang cell phone. Doon kami sa sagingan. Pinabuksan sa amin ang ballot box. Sila na bahala sumulat. Pinabayaan namin, takot kami kasi armado," he said.

Abdul recalled that the names of Cesar Montano and Rep. Prospero Pichay were on the official ballots.

He said the armed men were aided by companions already in the area.

He said there were more than 100 election inspectors in the banana farm that election morning.

He said their other colleagues are also willing to testify.

The teachers said they were taken behind the Montawal municipal hall at around 3 p.m. and told to wait until nightfall.

They were then transferred to another government office in Shariff Aguak and were told to start filling up the election returns (ERs). A female teacher said they spent three days and three nights preparing the ERs.

They said a certain Mohammad Andoy, a former president of the Association of Barangay Chairmen, accompanied them from Montawal to Shariff Aguak.

One female witness said that on May 17 at 11:45 p.m., they were sent to the office of Gazmin for the proclamation of the winners. The results were 12-0 in favor of the TU ticket.

They said Gazmin administered the proclamation even if only four barangays had been canvassed. Votes from eight more barangays still had to be counted.

The four teachers were told to keep quiet and received P3,000 each for their "cooperation."

"Instruction nila, sabi nila pagbalik sa area, kailangan close mouth. Walang salita na pangontra sa kanila. Yan ang order nila, order is an order," one of the teachers said.

"Actually our role was only to open the ballot boxes and sign the tampered documents. We were fed enough and paid also for our cooperation," another teacher-witness said.

"Kung hindi kami lalantad, habambuhay ganito na lang lagi. Noong 2004, kahit may dayaan, at least sa polling precincts. Ngayong 2007, grabe na, sa sagingan na ang botohan," he said.

Another female witness said: "Para tumigil ang kalokohan (kaya kami lumabas). Kaming teacher ang kawawa, tapos wala kaming maano diyan. Kami, for the sake of the people. Kawawa ang tao na walang katapusan ang paghihirap nila."

The four witnesses appealed to media to hide their real identities to protect their families in Maguindanao.

Abdul said he could identify some of the armed men because they did not bother to hide their faces.

The witnesses said a friend, a known supporter of Lacson, arranged their coming out.

"Doon kami nagkita sa Davao," one of the witnesses said.

Abdul said their other colleagues who witnessed the election fraud are executing their affidavits and are also ready to come out.

He said it was expensive to bring them all in Manila.

Lacson said the surfacing of the four witnesses boosted his plan to file a petition to declare a failure of elections in Maguindanao province.

"They are going to appear before an executive session of Comelec to support my petition to declare failure of elections in Maguindanao. Worried lang sila sa safety nila," Lacson said.

The National Board of Canvassers (NBC) ordered the re-canvassing of the municipal certificates of canvass (MCOCs) of North and South Cotabato after their Provincial Election Supervisors (PES) failed to appear despite summons.

Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos ordered that new sets of provincial board of canvassers (PBOCs) for the two provinces be created after PES Lilian Radam (South Cotabato) and Yogie Maritzar (North Cotabato) could not be located.

Leila de Lima, counsel for Alan Peter Cayetano, said that the entries in the Koronadal City COC are different from the ones listed in the provincial statement of votes (SOV).

Among the affected candidates are Edgardo Angara (20,008 city COC; 30,008 provincial SOV), Joker Arroyo (16,697; 26,697), Michael Defensor (11,456; 21,456), Loren Legarda (37,711; 40,711), Vic Magsaysay (8,663; 18,663), Tessie Oreta (5,564; 15,564), Prospero Pichay (10,422; 20,422), Ralph Recto (14,506; 28,506), Tito Sotto (7,174; 17,174) and Juan Miguel Zubiri (21,813; 7,183).

The South Cotabato re-canvassing is set today. The PBOC is headed by Nelia Aureaus.

The date for the North Cotabato re-canvassing, headed by Jovencio Balanquit, has yet to be set.

Discrepancies were also manifested by opposition counsel in the COC of North Cotabato.

De Lima said the absence of Radam and Maritzar is an indication of guilt.

Rex Robles, counsel for Antonio Trillanes IV, said the two should be cited for contempt.

Romulo Macalintal, an administration lawyer, said they will not oppose any motion from the opposition as long as the allegations are supported by concrete evidence and a formal petition.

The NBC also set aside the controversial COC from Maguindanao after the members of the municipal Board of Canvassers (MBOC), who were summoned last Friday, failed to appear.

Abalos said the MBOC members, including Maguindanao provincial election supervisor Lintang Bedol, might be culpable for contempt of court if they fail to explain their absence.

The NBC has also ordered the creation of a new set of provincial board of canvassers to determine whether the municipal certificates of canvass are still viable to be re-canvassed after the counsel for the opposition questioned and petitioned for the exclusion of the provincial board of canvassers. – With Gerard Naval
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