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Be part of citizen power. Register here in Blog Watch at http://blogwatch.tv/wp-register.php. or send me an email contact at blogwatch dot tv . By committing more errors than those recorded in 2010, by making arbitrary and highly-irregular decisions during canvassing, and proclaiming presumed winning candidates prematurely the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has turned the second automated elections from bad to worse – a technology and political disaster. Aside from Comelec’s non-compliance – yet again – of the election law and the technical glitches, there was an unprecedented large-scale vote buying. Political clans are now even more entrenched with a bigger number of their members being fielded in extensive areas and perpetuating themselves in power thereafter.

In 2010, a significant number of clustered precincts in both provinces and cities had delayed transmissions of up to two days; as of May 17 or four days after this year’s election, 18,187 clustered precincts or 23% of the total number failed to transmit election returns affecting if not potentially disenfranchising 8.6M voters. Aside from demolishing the much-hyped “speed” of automation, the transmission delays opened the whole system to data manipulation and election rigging. More than 50% of 1,173 incidents based on verified PARTIAL monitoring results of AES Watch were PCOS-related (911 clustered precincts) – from initialization errors, machine breakdown to hardware problems and ballot rejection. A total of 1,432 monitored clustered precincts (1.84% of total CPs) from all over the country had either PCOS or transmission problems. This is equivalent to 1.432M compromised votes.

Compared to 2010, there are more data discrepancies as well as open and brazen possible manipulation of election data at the stage of canvassing and consolidation. For example: the ultra-fast and inflated PPCRV count caused by program error, the highly-suspicious intervention of Smartmatic technicians in fixing the program and deletion of an ER file, the 44-hour lull at 69% of ERs, and the absence of RMA results five days after election.

While in 2010 Comelec’s non-compliance of major election law provisions and ToR happened largely before the polls, today not only were these violations (e.g., absence of independent source code review) repeated but we are witness as well to arbitrary and highly-questionable post-election decisions such as proclaiming “winning” senatorial candidates based only on 20% of canvassed election results. This is compounded by the latest decision to transport un-transmitted CF cards direct to the NBOC thus bypassing the legal ladderized canvassing – a procedure that is also prone to human tampering. All these raise the issue whether Comelec is not only short-cutting the process but is also dictating the results of the election in violation of the people’s right of suffrage. Comelec has leaped beyond what it is supposed to do – to administer the elections and protect the people’s sovereign voice; now it has become the anointer for who deserves to win.

These problems became manifest in the mid-term elections especially because of Comelec’s repeated non-compliance to what the law requires and its disabling of all major security and integrity features as well as safeguards: a valid license to operate a foreign-provided software; a source code and its independent review by the people through political parties and NGOs 6 months to 1 year before election; voter-friendly, transparency and verifiability feature; a valid digital signature; non-WORM (write once, read many) CF memory devices, independent testing of PCOS machines for trustworthiness and accuracy, reliable mock elections and FTS, and effective random manual audit (RMA).

Given these deficiencies, AES Watch had weeks before election called for a full, 100% parallel manual counting of votes cast as the remaining compensating mechanism for establishing the accuracy and credibility of the elections. Like all other proposals by the CAC and other election stakeholders, this one was also completely ignored by the Comelec.

It is for these reasons that we also declared that Comelec is the one creating the conditions toward casting doubts on the legitimacy of the elections and triggering a public clamor to demand a failure of election.

The May 2013 elections was a mockery of the poll automation law, a serious technological and political disaster, a grave violation of voters’ rights to have their votes counted according to law and with accuracy. Just like in 2010, the implementation of the second automated election cannot pass the standards of the IT industry. How can the elections be credible when it is conducted by a most un-transparent Comelec led by an incredibly insensitive chairman who is prone to arbitrary decisions and abuse of authority? A defenseless electorate has been subjected to the whims and caprices of a powerful triumvirate of the Comelec-Smartmatic-PPCRV leadership which tries time and again to cover up and justify for the serious glitches and non-compliance of basic and major security requirements to make poll automation work well for the people and the integrity of the election process. What happened in 2013 polls poses a serious breach of security, transparency and integrity.

Modern technology has been enacted as the instrument for exercising the people’s right to vote, of deciding who are the winners upon whom the authority to govern is vested. Let us remember that the modern election system has been a 20 plus-year project replete with legal, political, and financial controversies. At the rate Comelec is implementing it reveals that automated polls are a far cry from what was envisioned by its authors – that it would modernize the election process.

AES Watch is a broad citizens’ election watchdog comprising of 40 organizations, institutions, NGOs, IT professionals, researchers, and academics. Launched in January 2010, it monitored and documented the 2010 and 2013 automated elections.

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With the transmission of Election Returns (ERs) at COMELEC’s Transparency Server being stalled at 76.3273% as of 5:41 PM on May 17, Friday or five days after the May 13 voting, a lot of apprehension is going around over COMELEC’s plan on how it will account for the remaining 23.6727% missing ERs. This has not been made easier by the proclamation of the 9 leading senatorial candidates based on “untenable figures ” – the proclamation was made on the basis of 117 out of 304 expected Certificates of Canvass (COCs).

The COCs are the summary of the total Election Returns of a province or of a chartered city, which form the official and legal basis for the proclamation of winning candidates. Right now, the low turnout of the COCs being served to the National Board of Canvassers is due to the incomplete or unaccounted ERs. NAMFREL explained in an earlier press release that the probable causes of unavailable ERs are PCOS malfunction, corrupted CF cards, transmission failure due to defective or absence of modem, and weak or absent signal, among other causes.

The question begging to be answered is, what is the plan of the COMELEC to account to the public the remaining 18,504 ERs, estimated to contain at least 8.5 Million votes?

COMELEC is enjoined to share with the public the status of these ERs: Were the CF cards brought to the Municipal Board of Canvassers? Were the ballots counted manually at the precinct and an ER prepared? Were the ballots counted manually at the Municipal Board of Canvassers and an ER prepared? Were there manual counts at the Municipal Canvassing or Provincial Canvassing sites?

In another light, NAMFREL’s Systems Group is wondering how come there were still transmission of ERs coming in 4 days after the close of polls? From where are these ER figures being sent, when PCOS machines are supposed to have been sealed by this time? The problem of low signals may be discounted since the telecom companies have stated that signals were available in all the sites. If and when the transmission to the transparency server resumes, from where are these ERs being sent? Are the contingency plans for this event (if any) being followed?

The lowest percentage of ERs transmitted to the COMELEC by regions is ARMM at 34.9% of 3,124 ERs; next is Region IX transmitting 62.2% of 2,968 ERs; following closely is the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) which transmitted 62.31% of 1,828 ERs.

The issue appears to be the call for transparency in explaining where the votes of the 8.5 million voters are, if they will find their way to the National Board of Canvassers. Call to mind that the Philippines has always adhered to the principles of free and fair elections.

All things remaining unexplained, there are still two remaining safeguards at the backend of the automated election system that will not only crosscheck the numbers yielded by the PCOS machines but will also, if done right, fill the gap left by the 23.67% unaccounted Election Returns: firstly the result of the parallel manual count (assuming this has clear methodology, that the unit of the count are the precinct ERs, and the figures can be disaggregated by region, by province, by municipality and by precinct), and secondly the results of the post – count Random Manual Audit in 234 randomly selected precincts in as many congressional districts. The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) is authorized to conduct the parallel manual count from the 3rd copy of the ER (and cascading other copies of other documents) as one of the four COMELEC’s citizens’ arm. The Random Manual Audit Committee chaired by the PPCRV Chairperson is responsible for summarizing and analyzing the results of the Random Manual Audit. The public waits. Want to be part of our Blog Watch Community? Share your perspectives on current issues and contribute to the conversation. Look at it as an op-ed with links. Just register or if you just want to submit a guest post , submit your story. at email address contact at blogwatch dot tv

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I refer to the utterly controversial and extremely immoral remarks reportedly made by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto with regard to the comfort women.

I overwhelmingly concur with the statement of Attorney Harry L. Roque, Jr. that:

“The Philippine government should formally lodge a diplomatic protest with the Japanese government against the statement by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto that the so-called “comfort women” of WWII served a “necessary” role by keeping troops in check. According to this obviously insane Mayor, “soldiers living with the daily threat of death needed some way to let off steam which was provided by the comfort women system”. There are at least 200,000 women who were made to serve in these comfort stations in Korea, China and the Philippines.”

I condemn to the highest degree possible the utterly barbaric and extreme inhumanity of that Osaka Mayor.

I do not know whether that bastard Mayor is a maniac or a pervert or a psychopath, but one thing is for sure, that creature has a tremendous mental disorder; albeit a mental disorder of the of the worst kind.

Since it when that sexual assault and battery has been a “necessary role” for women? Is he himself a sexual predator?

I’m inclined to ask: is that the same thing he is doing to his wife? Does his mother were also violated sexually and brutally by his father? Will he allow his son-in-law to degrade his own daughter?

Indeed, the “obviously insane” Mayor’s bastardized claim that the comfort women system which was institutionalized by the invading Japanese military is a necessary part of maintaining the well-being of Japanese soldiers is not only preposterous but undeniably the heights of both arrogance and inhumanity.

For the record, said brutal practice was also sanctioned by the leadership of the Japanese Imperial Army.

As one campaigner directly retorted: “How can you justify rape, molestation and sexual abuse as a necessary act? Rape and sexual slavery are heinous crimes.” Undoubtedly, what Japan did during World War II is a crime against humanity!

SHAME ON THEM!!!

It is on this great sense that I also agree with the Department of Foreign Affair’s (DFA) reminder to the Japanese officials “to be careful in commenting about comfort women as the issue of wartime sexual abuse continues to rankle in the Philippines.”

If I may just add, not only here that this sensitive, utterly hurtful and incontestably painful issue continues to rankle but also to China and South Korea. To cite just one specific example of Japan’s barbarity and monstrosity: Who would ever forget the 1937 Rape of Nanking?

DFA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez said that:

“The Philippine government has always urged Japanese authorities to be more circumspect in their public statements relating to this issue as they strike at the core of the feelings and sensitivities of those who experienced great suffering during World War 2…”

I also agree with the said spokesperson in reminding Japan to adhere to the “language and tone of apologies from Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono in 1993 and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi” in 2002.

Hence, base on these precedents, the statement of that sexist and barbaric Mayor is “a grave affront to the honor and dignity” of all those women in Asia that their military had abused physically and violated sexually.

Indeed, “the statement is crass, obscene, and is an attempt to justify a criminal act under international law. Specifically, rape and all forms of degrading and humiliating treatment committed in the context of an armed conflict -have always been illegal under oath customary international law and under the Geneva Conventions. Moreover, since it was publicly made by an elected agent of the Japanese state, the statement is an official pronouncement of the state Japan nonetheless, pursuant to the Articles of State responsibility. These articles codified in the form of a United Nation General Assembly resolutions; provides that all acts and /or statements by state organs may give rise to attribution to the state.”

I call upon Prime Minister Abe to castigate that stupid and criminal Mayor and denounce him in public.

I also call upon the Japanese people to publicly condemn that bastard Mayor and pressure their government (in order for their PM to act accordingly) to punish him!

If not, then the categorical denunciation of Professor Walden Bello against these two idiots and so as the Japanese people would be absolutely true.

Here’s what the good professor have stated:

Mayor Hashimoto of Osaka says it was necessary and fine for Japanese troops to have comfort women during the Second World War. This is what happens when you coddle fascists, do not internalize and institutionalize war guilt, and abort genuine democratic reform. Hashimoto and his fellow traveler Prime Minister Abe are a menace to the Asia Pacific region and should be denounced for what they are: people who believe Japan’s cause and atrocities during the Second World War were right and just. That the Japanese people elected these guys to power speaks volumes about where they are headed today.

Sad but true!

Below is an article that I’ve written with regard to the same subject, dated October 21st of last year:

“Japan’s Moral Responsibility with regard to their Extreme Heinous Historical crimes”

I refer to the international news which pertains to South Korea’s sharp demand to Japan to compensate their ‘comfort women’. This concerns the unceasing plight and continuing fight of those sexually enslaved and sadistically abused women with regard to their persistent struggle for justice, acknowledgement and due compensation!

This piece is in solidarity to their worthy cause and legitimate demand for apology!

I implore and beseech them to keep the flames of the crusade alive!

The struggle of these women does not simply entail financial or monetary compensation. That is just a tiny link in this whole series of chain of events.

To put this matter in its proper historical perspective, this continuing battle primordially centers on a demand for justice and due recognition.

Japan cannot evade historical responsibility neither can it deny complicity to all these horrible and supra horrendous dehumanization and blatant exploitation in such an organized, large-scale and systematic manner.

It is but just and moral for the Japanese government to accept the truth, admit the massive havoc that they wreaked and their incomparable barbarism, bear the responsibility, sincerely apologize to all those ‘comfort women’ and finally to pay for damages and/or allocate a corresponding compensation.

The Japanese people and its government cannot forever live in lies, denial, evasion and worst; historical falsification!

This is in-line with the precise analysis of the director of Asian studies at Temple University of Tokyo, Jeff Kingston:

“Historical grievances in Korea do not depend on who is in charge in Japan. They simmer on and on until every once in a while they boil over.

Tokyo is living in a dream world if it believes that these matters are resolved and not worth addressing.”

They must do the right thing and that is to sincerely apologize, openly confess and unequivocally admit all responsibility for their war time animality, barbarity, inhumanity and atrocity!

As lucidly reported by the Guardian, “Anger of wartime sex slaves haunts Japan and South Korea”, October 18th, by Justin McCurry:

Earlier this week, South Korea repeated its demand that Japan acknowledge its use of former sex slaves and compensate them.

“Japan’s legal responsibility has not been settled,” the country’s deputy chief envoy to the UN, Shin Dong-ik, told a UN committee. “Those acts were a crime against humanity.”

Until such time that the Japanese government and so as its people is not doing the right thing, the just decision and the honorable thing to do — them they will never ever wash their historical crimes and they will forever be haunted and hounded by the dark ghosts of the bloody past!

Their future will never be glorious or triumphant!

To all ‘comfort women’ from Korea, China, the Philippines and other countries; I admonish you all to keep up the faith, continue the struggle and never ever give up for your heavenly cause to exact justice and demand due recognition!

I applaud you all for your unwavering resolve!

Now, whether Japan admit its sins or not, issue the sincere and true apology or not is already beyond the domain of this historical case of exceptional importance.

For all intents and purposes, this quest has already assumed its central aim; because this struggle is a struggle for humanity and dignity. This is a noble crusade in reclaiming their honor.

May I remind the Japanese authorities that there is no Statute of Limitations for Crimes Against Humanity and that Command Responsibility is an accepted principle by international and local jurisprudence.

The Japanese government with a quiet acquiescence and partial conspiracy with its people may deny, even lie; but fear not, because history is neither blind nor myopic. There is no iota of doubt that the international community of nations, reason and history herself is on your side.

I am so certain about this and there is no doubt whatsoever in my mind.

We will win in the end, because the truth can never ever be defeated — even by a thousand lies…

In the immortal words of Emile Zola:

If you deny the truth and bury it underground; it will but grow and gather to itself such explosive power that the day it burst through, it will destroy everything on its way!

Japan and its people must do the right thing and that is admitting their grave sins and horrible crimes against Humanity, specifically the women of Asia, instead of justifying these war crimes, the Japanese government publicly apologize for this systematic criminal act and pay reparations to their victims.”

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Philosophy lecturer
Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Far Eastern University
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Be part of citizen power. Register here in Blog Watch at http://blogwatch.tv/wp-register.php. or send me an email contact at blogwatch dot tv . By Prof. H. Harry L. Roque, Jr.
Chair, Center for International Law

The recent shooting by the Philippine Coast guard of a lone Taiwanese fisherman illustrates the kind of governmental response that we Filipinos deserve when we ourselves fall victims to an internationally wrongful act. Under international law, there is state responsibility for an internationally wrongful act where there is a breach of international law and when the breach is attributable to the state. Here, it appears that because the killing was because of a shot fired by a state organ, a member of the Philippine Coast Guard, that the killing may be attributed to the Philippines government. Acts of state organs, no matter how lowly their ranks, and even if they are ultra vires, are always attributed to a state.

Furthermore, there too appears to be a breach of international law since the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea prohibits the use of unnecessary use of force in dealing with illegal fishermen. In fact, the UNCLOS provides that fishermen caught illegally fishing in a states exclusive economic zone should not even be detained or charged criminally The only leeway granted to a party state is to apprehend the vessel which, in turn, must be immediately release upon posting of bond.

The lesson learned is how our own government should espouse the claim of its national, even if there is only one solitary victim. Not only did the highest echelon of the Taiwanese government demand for an apology, it also demanded compensation and even threatened the Philippines with both military and economic reprisals, even if both are prohibited by international law. This is in stark contrast with the current practice of the Philippine government. Only recently, 200 of our nationals became sitting ducks to Malaysia’s illegal resort to excessive force. Our response was to threaten our nationals with domestic prosecution.

Because we committed an internationally wrongful act, we have the obligation under international law to apologize and provide compensation to the victim. This though is the full extent of our liability. Taiwan’s demand that in addition, we enter into a fishing agreement with it is bereft of legal merit. Taiwan is not an independent state and should not expect to be treated as such. Any fishing agreement involving overlapping areas of our exclusive economic zone should be with the People Republic of China. This is consistent with the international communities’ recognition of the so-called one-China policy; that is, Taiwan forms part of the People’s Republic of China and is not a republic on its own.

This latest experience should also teach our policy makers to act with dispatch where it is our government that incurs international responsibility. Since the shooting was at the behest of a state organ, the Philippine Coast Guard, the investigation should not have lasted as long as it did. It only entails requiring the Master of the coast guard vessel to report what transpired that led to the shooting. Absent evidence that it was in self-defense, the Philippines should have apologized with dispatch and should not have waited for any formal demand to do so. Our failure to act with dispatch consistent with our international obligation gave Taiwan the opportunity to exploit the incident to promote its own interest.

Photo via Inquirer.net
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Be part of citizen power. Register here in Blog Watch at http://blogwatch.tv/wp-register.php. or send me an email contact at blogwatch dot tv . As of 10am, two days after election day, only 69.1618% of the PCOS machines have transmitted results to the Comelec transparency server.

The slow aggregation of electronic results confirms reports being sent by our volunteers nationwide to the NAMFREL National Operations Center in Mandaluyong City on the problems experienced in the transmission of results from the PCOS machines due to several reasons such as lack of modem, weak or lack of signal, and the PCOS malfunctioning.

In NCR, there were a number of precincts in Makati City that had machines shutting down during operation, delaying transmission. In Southern Luzon, a number of precincts in Laguna had to request for new PCOS machines due to the inoperability of existing machines. In the town of Cabuyao, some of the PCOS machines did not have a seal, causing chaos and confusion in the municipal office. At the Lakeview Elementary School in Muntinlupa, lack of modems is blamed for the cause of delay in transmission. In parts of northern Luzon – Abra, Baguio City, Tarlac and Bulacan were besieged with signal weakness. The same issue did not spare precincts in Metro Manila. Volunteers in Makati and San Juan reported problems in the transmission of results to the national servers. In Manila’s Guerrero Elementary School, volunteers tried to pull the PCOS machine out of the precinct to get a better signal, but to no avail. In Surigao Del Norte, numerous precincts have given up on their machines and decided to bring their CF cards to the Municipal Board of Canvassers (MBOC) in San Isidro.

The NAMFREL National Operations Center will continue to actively receive, consolidate, and release Incident Reports from concerned citizens. NAMFREL will release its preliminary report soon on the conduct of the Random Manual Audit that NAMFREL volunteers observed.For more information, news and results from NAMFREL, please visit www.elections.org.ph.Want to be part of our Blog Watch Community? Share your perspectives on current issues and contribute to the conversation. Look at it as an op-ed with links. Just register or if you just want to submit a guest post , submit your story. at email address contact at blogwatch dot tv

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The NAMFREL National Operations Center at the PICPA headquarters in Mandaluyong City have been receiving reports from volunteers nationwide that there are a number of PCOS machines that have either malfunctioned or completely stopped working in different areas of the nation. In addition to this, NAMFREL field volunteers are also pointing out that many of the areas do not have a certified technician present. The reported areas are in Iloilo, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Albay, Metro Manila and Mountain Province. Many of the precincts concerned are asking for immediate assistance to rectify the situation.

There are also incidences of procedural lapses in Iloilo and Camarines Sur, wherein BEIs were already putting drops of indelible ink on the finger of voters even before they have received their ballots.

Certain logistical problems have also been called in: Gabawan Elementary School in Romblon received ballots that are meant for the province of Antique and vice versa. Election officers are now being contacted to reverse the situation, which have already caused a 3-hour delay and counting.

Electoral violence and incidences of vote buying in Bulacan, Camarines Sur, Agusan del Norte and Sulu have been reported. A commotion occurred in Agusan del Norte when some voters allegedly expecting to receive bribes were removed from the list of recipients. Candidates’ agents are also allegedly handing out P500 to voters in Camarines Sur; they have secured a copy of the voter’s list and are using it to get in touch with voters. An ambush in Sulu, rooted between feuding candidates, left two people injured and one dead.

Other issues have also been identified such as intermittent power problems in Patikul, Sulu; a NAMFREL volunteer being barred from observing a precinct by a member of the PPCRV in Quezon City; PNP officers in the corridors and lobby of a school in Mandaluyong and stationing themselves too close to the school/voting center, which may cause intimidation.

The next media briefing at the NAMFREL National Operations Center will be at 6:30 PM tonight.
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Ms. Corazon de la Paz-Bernardo, Chairperson of the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) urges the Filipino voters to go the extra mile when they vote tomorrow, May 13 by being citizen-observers for a free, honest and orderly elections. The first order of the day for every qualified voter of course is to go to the precinct to exercise his/her right (and duty) to vote.

After he has voted, there are three engagements that ordinary voters may participate in, without having to be a member or volunteer of any citizens’ arm or media watch team and without training on pollwatching.

Firstly, the voter will observe the poll center environment to note unusual or irregular situations like vote buying, very long queues, hakot of voters by a candidate, campaigning by candidates inside the poll center, the PCOS machine in any precinct breaking down, etc.

Secondly, the voter is requested to go back to his precinct at 7:00 PM to observe the closing of the polls until transmission of the results to the COMELEC server. If the transmission in the precinct is successful, the voter goes home with assurance that his vote has been counted among the rest. If the transmission fails, he is advised to observe succeeding efforts like retrying to transmit in the same PCOS machines or detaching the CF cards to bring this to the COMELEC Office. If necessary, the citizen- observer will accompany the CF cards until this is transmitted successfully. In the May 2010 elections, some 8 % of the precincts failed to transmit electronically and some CF cards were reported to have landed in private persons’ hands.

The last and final act of citizen participation is to observe the Random Manual Audit (RMA) if the precinct or municipality in one’s area has been selected as an RMA site. It is simply making a manual count of the votes similar to vote tallying in the pre- automated system of elections by a new team called the Random Manual Audit Team. The result of the manual count is recorded at the end to compare this with the count of the machine. One precinct is identified as an RMA subject in every congressional district.

For any observation on any of the three engagements above, the citizen-observer may call NAMFREL at (02)9420918 or send an SMS to this NAMFREL number with information on his name, precinct number, voting center, town and province: 09984582009. These numbers will be in operation starting at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow, May 13, 2013, until 6:00 a.m. on May 15, 2013.

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Be part of citizen power. Register here in Blog Watch at http://blogwatch.tv/wp-register.php. or send me an email contact at blogwatch dot tv . May 09, 2013

The Honorable

SIXTO S. BRILLANTES, JR.

Chairman

Commission on Elections

Subject: Vote buying reports received by Namfrel

Dear Chairman Brillantes,

We are respectfully submitting reports on the abovementioned subject which were received from our different chapters:

Albay: Sixty percent of voter respondents (15) who participated in a small survey answered that they have been offered money in exchange for their votes. All of those surveyed also have heard instances of vote buying.

In the municipality of Daraga, amounts range from P100 to P500 per voter and a sample ballot is usually stapled along with the money. A municipal kagawad seeking re-election was seen giving rice to voters. Money and/or goods are given out by those who are close to the candidate although some candidates do these themselves.

People themselves expect money to be given to them causing some parties to engage in a kind of “bidding”, and enticing voters with the higher amounts. Some willingly give their names to the barangay leaders, who also possess copies of the computerized voters list, to make sure that they will receive money. Candidates normally say that their money came from sponsors or from friends, although some suspect they could come from government funds.

A mayoral candidate is using a government building as headquarters

Vote buying is expected to be more pervasive one to two days before the voting, identifying this period as gapangan. The amounts the candidates are willing to part with is expected to increase as the election day draws nearer. Sample ballots are being distributed along with P100.

Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur: Vote buying is conducted through politicians and purok leaders.

Abra, Albay, Antique, Eastern Samar, Mountain Province, Ilocos Norte and Lanao del Norte: They expect vote buying to be more rampant as voting day draws closer.

Aurora: As high as P1,200.00 is being offered to vote for a set of candidates, which are members of a political dynasty. Incumbents are employing a large number of coordinators in the barangay; and jobs, reportedly intended to entice voters, financed by the municipal and provincial government, have been handed out.

Cagayan: Parties engaged in vote buying go house-to-house paying as much as P1,000 to P1,500 per person. Groceries and goods are given our during campaign rallies.

Eastern Samar, Rizal, Surigao del Sur and Negros Oriental: Goods are handed out to voters.

Guimaras: Vote buying is rampant in the municipalities. Either no one reports it or no one ever gets caught when these are reported to the police.

Ilocos Norte: Three candidates from a party went house-to-house and each of them gave P300 per voter. Persons who brought from a store all using P200 bills, when queried why they were all buying with P200 bills, replied that it was given to them by someone.

Monies are given along with a sample ballot. Recipients are asked to sign a receipt so that the candidate could trace if their coordinators indeed distributed the money. Sometimes coordinators force people to accept the money.

The highest amount given to voters by a mayoral candidate is P3,000. “Pataasan ng mabibigay na pera” is pervasive and influences voter behavior.

Ilocos Sur: A YouTube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-paD6WB4EGU) shows an alleged vote buying activity in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur. Barangay captains are usually tasked to distribute the money, although members of the Sangguniang Kabataan are also involved in these activities. From P1,000 upwards to P3,500.00 is offered for votes for a mayoral candidate.

Malabon: Free entrance to a swimming pool in Malabon is used to entice voters.

Manila: Candidates give away (trike) sidecars. Police would not reprimand sidecar operators that have tarpaulins and other election propaganda materials. Canned goods and rice are also handed out to voters.

Misamis Oriental: Vote buying is successful because of organized vote selling. Barangay officials carry out vote buying activities for the candidates. Employees of a government office were given a pack of rice at work and was told that the P500 will follow.

“Mobmen” extort money for candidates to use for their vote buying activities. The amount ranges from P50 to P500. Groceries and non-cash items are also distributed.

Negros Oriental: When money is given, it is usually under the guise of charity. Sometimes recipient voters are asked to fill out forms and promised financial aid.

Palawan: Candidates gave away farm equipment and then list the names of recipients. Sitio leaders are asked to list voters and used to track how they actually voted.

Pangasinan: Mayoral candidates in Dagupan own grocery stores. As such, vote buying in the area is known instead as “paubusan ng groceries”.

Romblon: Vote buying is a continuous activity and incumbents are more active. Some government employees were encouraged to donate money to candidates. There was a case when a mother walking along with her children was approached and given transport money.

Boat engines and water pipes that were supposed to be handed out to victims of the typhoon in 2008 are reportedly being distributed now. The incumbent mayor, who ran unopposed in 2010, is using these now in exchange for votes. For this election, the mayor is running against a strong candidate.

Siargao: Contesting parties have offered money to voters in exchange for their votes. Vote buying is a general knowledge; an old system that has thrived until now.

Tawi-Tawi: In Pandumas Island, money is given and distributed under the guise of charity work. In one municipality, it is the opposition who engages in vote buying activities. Voters are given P100 each. In some places candidates for councilor give money only to enough number of voters that could ensure them a seat. They also use the list of voters and go from house to house. Money is put inside an envelope, which bears the name of the candidate they are supposed to vote for.

In one conservative community, people do not accept the money if they know that they will not vote for the candidate. They do return the money, too, if they decide not to vote for a candidate.

Zamboanga del Sur: Contesting parties are reportedly engaged in vote buying.

Zamboanga Sibugay: Candidates engaged in buying votes use barangay officials, coordinators, leaders of their parties and their supporters to engage in this activity. They are required to recruit 10 voters and promise them from P1,500 to P2,000 if they vote for their prescribed set of candidates. The voter will be asked to sign on a piece of paper as proof, and the leader or coordinator of the candidate will be paid.

Our chairperson in Misamis Oriental aptly pointed out that “The concern in Manila about the reliability of the PCOS machines is not real to the ordinary voter. What is real is the monetary value of his vote or how much he can sell it for.”

Recommendations:

1. Encourage various organizations to prevent, confront or gather evidence against vote buying. The Multi-sectoral Council for Good Governance in Pangasinan, for example, has imposed a 10-day curfew among their members to lessen their exposure to vote buying.

2. For the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to act on anonymized evidence such as video footage of vote buying. Those who have videos fear of reprisal should they come out with them.

3. Increase airing of public ads that discourage vote buying. The Comelec is urged to seek the support of TV and radio networks to produce, allocate and air short segments.

As vote buying is really a general concern, perhaps no entity could singly address it. But we kindly request that Comelec to take the lead in carrying out the recommendations. As the Commission has taken great strides and success in curbing the illegal display of election propaganda, we believe that it, too, could create conditions where vote buying and selling could be discouraged.

While we are sincerely looking forward to your comments, we also would like to inform that our chapters expect us to share their reports to the wider public at the soonest possible time. This is our way of bringing more attention to issue and hopefully discourage it.

Sincerely yours,

(signed)

CORAZON S. DE LA PAZ-BERNARDO

National ChairpersonWant to be part of our Blog Watch Community? Share your perspectives on current issues and contribute to the conversation. Look at it as an op-ed with links. Just register or if you just want to submit a guest post , submit your story. at email address contact at blogwatch dot tv

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Be part of citizen power. Register here in Blog Watch at http://blogwatch.tv/wp-register.php. or send me an email contact at blogwatch dot tv . Aimed at educating the public on the problems of Philippine politics, the Anti-Epal campaign created a fictional political dynasty led by Rep. Juana Change and the Epaliticians Party List, hailing from the province of Nueva Change Occidental Sur. The Change Family believes in “political destiny, not dynasty.”

“Mula pa noong panahon ng himagsikan laban sa mga Kastila, hanggang sa paglaban sa mga Hapon, sa pagtutol sa Batas Militar at hanggang sa paglaban kay Little Lady, tatak CHANGE ang kilala. Ito ang legacy ng CHANGE. Gusto nyo ba ng reporma? Eh di CHANGE nalang tayo ulit!,” Rep. Juana Change said.

“Sigaw daw ng iba, ‘Wala na bang iba?’ Wala syempre! ‘Yan ang demokrasyang tatak Pinoy!,” Rep. Juana Change added.

Other members of the Change Family includes Don Juan Change III, Juan Change IV, Yoko Change, Pansy ‘Bida’ Change, Tita Sen Change, Datung Change, Lola Change, and Lolo Change.

“Epalism is only a symptom of deeper problems in Philippine politics, which each character in the Change Family personifies. The characters reflect real politicians and their campaigns and the public has seen these parallelisms. The Change Family is an exaggeration of what is happening in Philippine politics, so a lot of times people are entertained. But more than entertainment, we want them to see that these are real problems we are facing as a nation,” Ayeen Karunungan, spokesperson of Dakila, an organization part of the No More Epal Movement, said.

The Change Family filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) last October 1, the first day of filing of COC’s at the Commission on Elections. The campaign is a new phase of the Anti-Epal campaign and is organized by the No More Epal Movement, composed of Dakila, People Power Institute, Center for Youth Advocacy and Networking and individuals such as Vince Lazatin, Executive Director of Transparency and Accountability Network, Mae Paner, Betty Romero, Gabriel Mercado, and Atty. Eirene Aguila

The CHANGE Family

“The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same”

Nueva Change Occidental Sur (NCOS)

Check Wikipedia of NCOS

The province of Nueva Change Occidental Sur was split into two congressional districts to accommodate the political ambitions of the son of Don Juan Change III and Juana Change, Don Juan Change IV.  Although not qualified as a stand-alone congressional district, District 2 of Nueva Change Occidental Sur (with a voting population of only 75,000) was created by a law that was sponsored by Don Juan Change III, and co-sponsored by Juana Change.  The creation of District 2 survived a legal challenge when the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Tirso Change ruled that the creation of congressional districts is the sole prerogative of the legislature, and who best to determine the need for new districts, but the congressmen themselves.  CJ Tirso Change, the first cousin of Don Juan Change III, was two-time governor of Nueva Change Occidental Sur before being named as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

JUANA CHANGE:
CONGRESSWOMAN, Epaliticians Party List (“EPaL”)

See Juana Change on Facebook

Juana used to be the district congresswoman of Nueva Change Occidental Sur but when her 3rd term ended, she created the EPaL party list group so she could continue to serve in the House of Representatives. EPaL represents the maligned and marginalized epaliticians who have been at the center of the anti-epal movement sweeping the country.  She vows to author legislation that would legalize the practice of credit-grabbing by public officials. “How else will the voters know of our benevolence?” she once remarked.

She served her 3 terms after her husband, Don Juan Change III finished 3 terms as well.  Believes that there are good political dynasties and that theirs is destiny, not dynasty. Juana Change resents being told to remove her wang-wang from her SUVs because she has much important work to do and spends congressional recess in Paris, New York, Zurich, among other cities.

DON JUAN CHANGE III:
CONGRESSMAN, 1st District of Nueva Change Occidental Sur

Don Juan Change on FB
Don Juan Change, also known as DJ, is now the family patriarch. He is CEO of the CHANGE business conglomerate which interests span from mining, logging, manufacturing, lands, construction, manpower agencies and agriculture.

He is the husband of Juana Change and is running for Congressman of the 1st District, Nueva Change Occidental Sur. Don Juan wants to continue the legacy of his father, his grandfather, and his great-grandfather. Don Juan III believes that only the Change family knows what’s best for the province of Nueva Change Occidental Sur.

He sponsored the bill to carve out a new congressional district from NCOS, the newly formed Second District of Nueva Change Occidental, for his son, Don Juan IV.
JUAN CHANGE IV:
CONGRESSMAN, newly formed 2nd District of Nueva Change Occidental Sur

Be a fan of JC IV in FB

Popularly known as JC IV, he is the son of Juana and Don Juan III. He has learned the business of politics from his father. He has mastered the art of patronage politics. Not a spot of free space in Nueva Change Occidental Sur is safe from his numerous tarps, signs, announcements claiming credit for everything from vaccination programs, libreng tuli/libing/cell load/etc., footbridges, and road asphalting to the cool January weather and the soon to be proclaimed 8th wonder of the world, the NCOS buwaya, which has a voracious appetite and breeds only with relatives; it has a bullet proof, thick skin that is impenetrable to any kind of criticism.

JCIV is often seen passing out school bags (with his name and face embroidered on it) to schoolchildren, who many times, have to wait hours on end for the congressman to arrive, usually 3 or 4 hours late. He can also be seen performing circumcisions for his Libreng Tuli program, even if he isn’t a licensed medical practitioner.  His PR people make sure that all his activities are photographed and printed in the Nueva Change Occidental Sur organ, the Change Times.

JC is a part time model and commercial endorser. He is a sports enthusiast and a gym buff. He is often seen with his celebrity friends either partying or attending to social charities. His rumored girlfriend is actress Fart Evangelista. JC is often called the “Nueva Gwapo” as he is the most handsome guy in NCOS.
YOKO CHANGE
GOVERNOR, Nueva Change Occidental Sur

Yoko for Change FB

Yoko is the daughter of Juana and Don Juan III. She is running for her first term as governor of NCOS. She was going to run as Board Member of the Province but was pulled in last minute for the gubernatorial race to replace Lolong Change, when her niece, Munting Change (daughter of Pansy Bida Change) wisely asked, “Paano tatakbo si Lolong? Eh, patay na siya!”

Yoko is said to be the apple of Don Juan’s eyes. She was trained to be a leader since birth. The Change Family enrolled her in the finest schools and even sent her abroad at age 5 to undergo leadership camps with children of politicians. She served as SK Chairperson for 6 years, Student Council President from Prep to 4th year College, and won several leadership awards most notably the Youth Outstanding Winner of the Nation (YOWN) and the Women on Top Award.

Yoko is a youth role model. She has started several social entrepreneurship projects that help the youth of NCOS under her youth movement Yoko for Change (YFC). Yoko is also a social media sensation having many twitter followers. She contributes to a lot of publications as an expert on youth affairs and hosts a cool youth oriented show – YOK On Radio.

DADO FORTUNATO “DATUNG” CHANGE:
MAYOR, San Buwaya City, Capital of Nueva Change Occidental Sur

Datung FB Page

Datung Change is the nephew of Juana and Don Juan III. He is the only child of celebrity turned politician, Tita Sen Change.

Dado Forunato, also known as “Datung”, is the perennial mayor of San Buwaya City and has been mayor for eight terms, broken only by his placeholder grandfather, Juan Jr. “Lolong”, who ran the city from his urn (he’s been dead since 1986).  Mayor Datung also is the campaign manager for the Change family.

He is also responsible for raising money for everyone’s campaigns. He is rumored to be the local jueteng lord and has a private army. Allegedly, his business interests in San Buwaya City include smuggling, drug trafficking, gunrunning and money laundering.

Despite his tough stance, the masses of San Buwaya are affectionate of Datung as his “the end justifies the means” motto brings peace to San Buwaya.

TITA SEN CHANGE
SENATOR

Follow Tita Sen

Tita Sen is the sister of Don Juan III. She is an iconic movie star. She is well known as a comedienne and a TV personality. She tried to shun politics but after an overwhelming clamor from her family, the Change family, she gave in and parlayed her popularity as a TV personality and comedienne into a successful sentorial bid.  She is in her second term.

However, from time to time, Tita Sen finds it hard to refuse her showbiz life so she still dabbles in acting, hosting and commercial endorsements. Her Hot Pink movement – the name she calls her Fans Club, is with her everywhere she goes – from Charity projects to awards night. Tita Sen also has a penchant for social media like twitter and instagram, which leaves her vulnerable to criticism and malicious attacks. This is why one of her strongest advocacy is internet censorship.

She continues her work on TV and was recently accused of plagiarizing one of her episodes of “The Tita Sen Hour” from a Korean sitcom.  In her defense, she said, “Eh, paano sasabihin plagiarism yan? Ang show ko ay Tagalog, yung isa ay Koreano. Copying is the sincerest form of flattery. Chos!”.

PANSY “BIDA” CHANGE
VICE GOVERNOR

Pansy on FB

Pansy is the eldest daughter of Juan III and Juana. Pansy “Bida” has stayed away from politics, content to be the personal assistant to her mother, Juana; and a secretary to her father Don Juan. A college graduate, Pansy is the quietest among the Change siblings.  With the busy life her siblings live, Pansy attends to all their needs – taking care of the clothes of brother JC and seeing to it that Yoko’s hair and make up are done well.

At the last minute she was asked to file her certificate of candidacy as Vice Governor of NCOS, when Lola Change decided to run against Yoko for the governorship.

Pansy, criticized for her inexperience in public service – well for her lack of experience of in anything, shot back to her critics saying, “Who needs experience when you have the family name, ‘Change’? My experience as being my mom’s alalay had prepared me well for the role as Vice Governor.”
LOLA CHANGE
VICE GOVERNOR

Lola & Lolong Forever FB
Lola Change is the surviving spouse of Lolo Change. Lola Change was all set to run as Vice Governor and running-mate to her late husband, Juan Jr.  When the decision was made to field Yoko Change for the governorship instead of her husband, Lola decided to run against her, in the memory of her deceased husband, who is also her running-mate.

Lola Change hails from one of the elite haciendero family of NCOS. She speaks fluent Spanish, Latin, French and Italian. A devout religious, she is member of the exclusive “Order of Morals”. At the same time, she runs the vast family hacienda, which employs thousands of farm workers and manages the 10 ancestral houses of the family with the help of her 200 domestic workers which includes her loyal servants.

DON JUAN, JR. “LOLONG” CHANGE (Deceased):
VICE GOVERNOR

Don Juan is the Change Family Patriarch who died in 1986. Although dead for 27 years, has been filing his certificate of candidacy for every election since he died. Lolong filed his first certificate of candidacy at 14 with a fake birth certificate indicating he was 18 years old.  He died in 1986 after the People Power Revolution from a heart attack while in captivity.

Lolong, known for ruthlessly ordering the assassinations of his political opponents, was captured swimming inside the carcass of a crocodile in the Nueva Change Occidental Sur river trying to escape capture from law enforcement officials.  The crocodile carcass was certified by the Guiness Book of World Records as the largest crocodile carcass used for escape. He was wanted in connection to several killings of prominent political oppositionists. His remains are incarcerated at the NCOS Maximum Security Prison, serving out seven consecutive life terms, reclusion perpetua, for the murders.  From his urn in jail, Lolong is often used by his family members as a placeholder so they can run again after 3 consecutive terms.

Lolong was supposed to run as governor, but the decision was made by the family to bypass Lolong and field Yoko instead.  This decision was made when the 5 year old granddaughter of Don Juan III and Juana, Munting Change (daughter of Juan IV) pointed out, “Paano tatakbo si Lolong? Eh, patay na siya!”  After 20 minutes of stunned silence, Juana and Don Juan III decided that Yoko should run instead.

His campaign slogan is “Patay na patay makapagsilbi!”

 Want to be part of our Blog Watch Community? Share your perspectives on current issues and contribute to the conversation. Look at it as an op-ed with links. Just register or if you just want to submit a guest post , submit your story. at email address contact at blogwatch dot tv

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Be part of citizen power. Register here in Blog Watch at http://blogwatch.tv/wp-register.php. or send me an email contact at blogwatch dot tv . by Tonyo Cruz and Noemi Lardizabal-Dado

More than 80 days have passed since senatorial and partylist candidates started their campaign. But they have yet to answer important questions and present their campaign pledges.

On May 8, days before the elections, bloggers and netizens across the Philippines will hold a Blog Action Day with the theme “Dear Candidate/s: Time to listen, time to answer questions”.

We in #juanvote, a citizen media and netizen campaign to cover the elections, ask bloggers and netizens to join this Blog Action Day to make our voices heard, to trumpet issues that are important to us, and to seize this opportunity to make politics work for us.

Blog Action Day gives bloggers and netizens – individually and collectively – to ask the hard questions to candidates. In so doing, we help other citizens make their choices. For sure, some candidates would feel attacked or hurt by the questions that we will raise. But they should not take anything personally. It is part of the territory. Candidates should earn each and every vote in order to win.

How do we do this? How do we participate in the Blog Action Day

1. Write an open letter to any candidate of your choice. You may write to as many candidates you deem important. Whethey they run for partylist or senator, or even local positions, it doesn’t matter.

2. In your blog post, ask your candidate/s questions and explain to them why their responses are important to you. Your questions may be personal, or may affect you personally, or your work or your education, or maybe your kids.

You can also phrase the Dear Candidate post in the form of a memo, following the President’s statement that we are his boss. It is like a memo from the boss to an employee or to a prospective applicant. Such a memo emphasizes accountability, their role of providing service to us and not the other way around. It also underscores the fact that they are accountable to us and that they are serving us and that they owe their election to office to us, the voters.

3. If you candidate has a blog, website or Facebook Page, link that post to him and to the #juanvote page over at Blog Watch so we could track your post.

4. If you don’t blog, you could still participate using your Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. Just don’t forget to link to #juanvote page over at Blog Watch.

5. On Twitter, share your posts and use the hashtag #juanvote. Mention your candidate’s username too.

If you notice, this Blog Action Day seems all about the candidates. Frankly, this is a conscious choice because we think candidates should practice and honor accountability and transparency starting during this campaign season. And in so doing, we educate ourselves and fellow citizens that we are indeed the real boss, the sovereign, in his supposed democratic system that we have.

If you are in, you could start by tweeting and posting an announcement on your blog to say that you’re part of the #juanvote Blog Action Day.

On Election Day, we will take action, using our gadgets and social media capital, to help fight fraud and expose anomalies. #juanvote will release a short memo soon on what we could do, one way or another, to contribute to a successful democratic process.

If your post is up, please link your post to this page so we can share your post.

Here are what social media users shared about their voting criteria during two tweetups:

May 1 #juanvote tweetup

May 4 #juanvote Miting de Avance

The campaign is backed by Smart Communications , the technology partner of BlogWatch #juanvote social media coverage.

Here are the other posts.

Thanks to Smart Communications for the internet connection and livestreaming video support.

Here are the 33 candidates for the Senate position and their twitter accounts

AKBAYAN
1. Hontiveros, Ana Theresia N. @risahontiveros

ANG KAPATIRAN
1. De Los Reyes, John Carlos G. @jc_delosreyes
2. Llasos, Marwil N. @iluvmarwilop
3. David, Rizalito Y. @LitoYapDavid

DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF THE PHILIPPINES
1. Belgica, Greco Antonious Beda B. @greco_belgica
2. Falcone, Baldomero C. @BalFalcone
3. Señeres, Christian M. @Seneres2013

LABAN NG DEMOKRATIKONG PILIPINO (LABAN)
1. Angara, Juan Edgardo M. @sonnyangara

LIBERAL PARTY
1. Aquino, Paolo Benigno IV A. @bamaquino
2. Madrigal, Maria Ana Consuelo A. @TheRealJamby
3. Magsaysay, Ramon Jr., B. @rmagsaysayjr

MAKABAYAN
1. Casiño, Teodoro A. @teddycasino

NACIONALISTA PARTY
1. Cayetano, Alan Peter S. @alanpcayetano
2. Trillanes, Antonio IV F. @TrillanesSonny
3. Villar, Cynthia A. @Cynthia_Villar

NATIONALIST PEOPLES COALITION
1. Enrile, Juan Ponce Jr., C. @jackenrile
2. Legarda, Lorna Regina B. @loren_legarda

PDP- LABAN
1. Pimentel, Aquilino Martin III D. @Koko_Pimentel

SOCIAL JUSTICE SOCIETY
1. Alcantara, Samson S. @SamsonAlcantara

UNITED NATIONALIST ALLIANCE (UNA)
1. Binay, Maria Lourdes Nancy S. @nancybinay
2. Cojuangco, Margarita R. @TingCojuangco
3. Ejercito, Joseph Victor G. @jvejercito
4. Gordon, Richard J. @Aksyon_Gordon
5. Honasan, Gregorio B. @gringo_honasan
6. Maceda, Ernesto M. @SenMaceda
7. Magsaysay, Maria Milagros Esperanza H. @mitosmagsaysay
8. Zubiri, Juan Miguel F. @migzzubiri

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES
1. Escudero, Francis Joseph G. @saychiz
2. Llamanzares, Mary Grace P. @GracePoe2013
3. Hagedorn, Edward S. @EdwardHagedorn
4. Montaño, Ramon E.
5. Penson, Richard L.

–
6. Bro Ed Villanueva @Bro_Eddie

Want to be part of our Blog Watch Community? Share your perspectives on current issues and contribute to the conversation. Look at it as an op-ed with links. Just register or if you just want to submit a guest post , submit your story. at email address contact at blogwatch dot tv

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