Days before Election Day, a reporter from a wire agency asked me several questions, the first of which was:

How are mainstream media being used by political candidates in this election season? Do you see any difference from past elections?

 

My answer was:

The big difference for this year’s elections is the massive use of TV ads. This came about because after the last elections (2004) every so-called expert (mostly PR men, who were given so much air time by the media) claimed that those who won had had great TV ads like Roxas and Madrigal and those who lost had bad TV ads. They claimed that the nice FPJ ads came too late. They conveniently forgot that Arroyo’s TV ads were horrible.

 

CREATING URBAN MYTHS

 

PR people are great at creating myths. They are the “spin meisters”. The power of these people, through the mass media, is remarkable. They were able to make most of Americans, a great deal of Europeans and the people of America’s subalterns like the Philippines believe that Saddam Hussein, leader of the Iraqi Socialist Baath Party and President of a very secular Iraq, was a partner of Osama bin Laden, an ultra conservative Saudi and leader of fundamentalist Al-Qaeda rag tag army. This is like saying Newt Gingrich joined forces with Ted Kennedy! After the 2004, Filipino PR men created the myth of the power of TV ads. They argued that Roxas’s TV ad made him win. They conveniently forgot that Roxas’s father (the late Senator Gerry Roxas) was a popular and respected man and that many people still remember him. And his grandfather was the first president of the post-war Philippine Republic. And that his mother is an Araneta. The Araneta-Roxas family’s political and financial network rules the country. And during the young Roxas’s incumbency as Trade and Industry Secretary, he was always in the news – on TV. And being the youngest in the Cabinet, he was expected to carry most of the youth vote. And, he was with the administration party, which has a sitting president for its standard bearer. And as if these were not enough, Roxas’s romantic ties with the popular TV host Korina Sanchez was used to the hilt.

 

The PR men also argued that Jamby Madrigal won because of her TV ad. The ad surely helped but Madrigal is a Madrigal, one of the oldest and richest families in Luzon who always maintained ties with the political leaders of the land from Quezon down to the present. On the maternal line, Jamby’s grandfather was the hero / martyr Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos, brother of Pedro Abad Santos, founder of the Socialist Party and one of the country’s first socialists / communists. She thus has roots from the political left and political right. Madrigal also has a good organization which solicited support from the people. Trillanes’s good standing in this election could be partly attributed to Madrigal’s support.

 

Yet the spin of the PR men that the TV ads made senators win made many take the bait and spent millions on TV ads in this election. To my surprise, even the veteran politician Joker Arroyo, who claimed he wasn’t very interested in running again, spent so much money on TV ads. According to AC Nielsen, Arroyo’s radio and TV ads cost a whopping 170 million pesos based on the going rate for broadcast commercials!

 

However, Mr. Arroyo claims he spent only 26 million pesos while his political party of the moment (KAMPI) spent for the rest. He disputes the amount given by AC Nielsen. Most of Arroyo’s voters are intelligent people who would not be swayed much by TV ads. The only effect that the ads could have was to remind voters that Joker Arroyo is not related to Gloria or Mike Arroyo.

 

THE BIG SPENDERS

 

According to AC Nielsen, the top 12 big spenders in relation to TV/radio ads were: 

1. Prospero Pichay – TU

2. Manuel Villar — GO

3. Joker Arroyo — TU

4. Edgardo Angara — TU

5. Loren Legarda — GO

6. Ralph Recto — TU

7. Mike Defensor — TU

8. Tessie Aquino-Oreta – TU

9. Vicente Sotto III — TU

10. Juan Miguel Zubiri — TU

11. Luis Chavit Singson — TU

12. Vicente Magsaysay — TU

 

Pichay, Recto, Defensor, et al should have learned not to believe this myth created by PR men. Surely, they don’t believe much of what their own publicists / PR people spin. Instead of spending so much money on TV/radio ads, they could have used the money the old-fashioned way — vote-buying, giving money to their leaders and to the "special operators" (COMELEC. the military, Education superintendents / supervosors, etc.) At least this way, they would have gained the good will of more people and would have made more people happy. The owners of the radio and TV networks do not need more money. They already have so much of it.

 

================

See: TV ad spending figures hit

FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2007 

PHILIPPINES

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

Head of state and government: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

Death penalty: abolitionist for all crimes

International Criminal Court: signed

 

 

A one-week State of Emergency was declared in response to alleged coup conspiracies. Rights of peaceful assembly were restricted and rebellion charges filed against prominent leftist politicians and others. Political killings of leftist activists continued as the government declared “all-out war” on communist rebels. A police task force and Commission of Inquiry established to investigate the killings resulted in only a limited number of arrests and prosecutions. Arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances were reported in the context of counter-insurgency operations. Peace talks between the government and Muslim separatists in Mindanao continued. All death sentences were commuted and Congress passed a law abolishing capital punishment. Armed groups were reportedly responsible for abuses, including unlawful killings.

 

Alleged coup plots

 

In February, President Gloria Arroyo declared a weeklong State of Emergency in response to alleged coup conspiracies involving members of the mainstream opposition in “tactical alliance” with rightists, communist rebels, leftist politicians and members of the military.

 

Police enforced a ban on public assemblies and raided a newspaper office, threatening to shut down media outlets that failed to follow “responsible” reporting guidelines. Scores of people were arrested or threatened with arrest, particularly members of legal leftist political parties which were accused by government and military officials of links with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA). Dozens were arrested and charged with “rebellion” in the period following the alleged coup plot, including critics of the government.

 

In February, Crispin Beltran, Congress Representative for the Anakpawis (Toiling Masses) party, was detained on a warrant of arrest for rebellion.

 

After the validity of the warrant and a subsequent charge of “incitement to sedition” were challenged by lawyers, he was further charged with rebellion. He had not been tried by the end of 2006.

 

Police sought to arrest five other leftist Congress Representatives on suspicion of rebellion. Afforded Congressional protective custody from arrest, they remained in the Congressional compound for over two months as prosecutors conducted preliminary investigations. The charges were dismissed by a court in May but further rebellion charges were filed against the five Representatives and over 45 other leftist suspects. All remained under threat of arrest at the end of 2006.

 

p. 209 Amnesty International Report 2007

========================

PHI

 

Political killings and counter-insurgency

 

A long-standing peace process between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF), representing the CPP-NPA, appeared to be abandoned as the government declared a new offensive against communist rebels. Armed attacks continued on members of legal leftist political parties, including Bayan Muna (People First) and Anakpawis. Reports of the number of such victims of alleged political killings ranged from 61 to at least 96 during the year. Most were killed by unidentified armed men on motorcycles. In some cases, those attacked had reportedly been under surveillance by people linked to the security forces or had received death threats.

 

Rafael Markus Bangit, an Indigenous people’s leader and Bayan Muna provincial co-ordinator, was shot dead in Isabela province (northern Luzon) by two masked gunmen. He was about to re-board a bus, while travelling with his son. He had earlier told colleagues that he believed he was under surveillance.

 

Amid reports of ineffective investigations, and with witnesses and relatives of the victims too frightened to co-operate with the police, perpetrators were rarely brought to justice. In May the authorities set up a special police investigative task force. However, only a limited number of people were arrested and few cases were filed in court by the end of the year, and no one was held accountable for cases stretching back to 2001. President Arroyo in August established a Commission of Inquiry, headed by former Supreme Court Justice José Melo, to investigate the killings and make recommendations for remedial action, including appropriate prosecutions and legislative proposals.

 

As military operations intensified, there were reports nationwide of arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, torture and harassment of civilians suspected of being CPP-NPA supporters.

 

In February, Audie Lucero, a 19-year-old youth activist with the leftist Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (Movement for National Democracy), disappeared after being questioned by soldiers and police at a hospital in Balanga City (Bataan, Luzon) about a wounded friend he had helped bring for medical attention. His body was found in a field the next day. The military reported that the wounded man was a rebel.

 

Also in February police arrested 10 youths aged between 19 and 24 and a 15-year-old girl, who had been hitchhiking in Benguet Province on their way to a music festival at the resort of Sagada. Most reported being beaten, suffocated with plastic bags and drenched with gasoline to force them to admit involvement in an NPA attack on a military detachment. The 11 were charged with robbery and homicide, and remained in detention until December.

 

Abolition of the death penalty

 

In April, President Arroyo announced the commutation of all death sentences. At least 1,230 prisoners had been sentenced to death since 1994. Death sentences were replaced with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

 

Congress voted in favour of a Bill to repeal the death penalty law, and the President signed it in June. In 1987 the Philippines had become the first Asian country to abolish the death penalty for all crimes. However capital punishment was reintroduced in 1994, and seven prisoners were subsequently executed by lethal injection.

 

Mindanao peace process

 

Peace negotiations between the government and the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) continued to make progress, albeit slowly. Disagreements continued over ancestral domain land claims and the amount of territory to be included in an expanded Muslim autonomous region as part of a peace settlement.

 

A ceasefire agreement was periodically broken by clashes between MILF and government forces. Sporadic bomb attacks on civilian targets were allegedly perpetrated by Islamists, some reportedly linked to the MILF. MILF leaders denied links with Jemaah Islamiyah, a regional network accused of involvement in violent or terrorist activity, or with Abu Sayaff, a Philippine Muslim separatist group responsible for kidnappings and killings of civilians.

 

In October the Senate amended an Anti-Terrorism Bill, including by reducing the time suspects could be detained without judicial authority, and by withdrawing clauses extending law enforcement powers to the military.

 

In the Inquirer editorial, the editor(s) gave COMELEC a failing grade and called it “one of the worst Comelecs the country has ever had.” But when did COMELEC ever have a passing grade, at least since Marcos came to power?

 

The Editorial mentioned several things that COMELEC allegedly did, but either the Inquirer editors were born only yesterday or they simply did not know what was going on in the Philippines during every election.

 

It mentioned party-list groups like Ang Ladlad which were allegedly asked by COMELEC to give some money to have them accredited. All one has to do is go through the applications of so many groups. Why are some party-list groups accredited and some are not?

 

I have heard during the 1992 elections that one losing senatorial candidate was asked to dole out a mere 2 million pesos and he would be in the Magic 24. At that time, he was somewhere in the 25^th / 26^th places. He declined the offer because the 13^th to 24^th placers would have only a 3-year term. He decided he would rest first and run in the following elections.

 

I suppose Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago can confirm the cheating done in the 1992 elections.

 

As many senators can attest, votes are for sale while canvassing is going on. Senator Biazon said on national TV yesterday that in 2004, the price went up to as much as 2,000 pesos per vote. He said that the going rate now is 25 million pesos for 1 million votes.

 

The editorial mentioned the case of Alan Peter Cayetano. It said:

Item. The Comelec kept Alan Peter Cayetano, a senatorial candidate of the Genuine Opposition, waiting until the 11th hour before acting on his petition to declare Joselito “Pepito” Cayetano, who had adopted the nickname “Peter” for his candidacy, a nuisance candidate. The Comelec resolution came on May 11, too close to Election Day, May 14, to be of much help to Alan Peter’s candidacy. Alan Peter said that it even created confusion about his candidacy.

 

At least this COMELEC declared Joselito Cayetano a nuisance candidate but the 1987 COMELEC did NOT declare a certain SANCHEZ a nuisance candidate such that Labor Secretary Bobbit Sanchez, a perceived leftist, lost in the senatorial race.

 

And yet, 1960s / 1970s action star Roberto Gonzalez was declared nuisance candidate because he has the same surname as Neptali Gonzalez.

 

The editorial mentioned the now notorious 12-0 vote in Maguindanao:

Item. From correspondents’ reports from the field, it appears that there was no actual voting in Maguindanao, which reported a 12-0 shutout in favor of Team Unity (TU) senatorial candidates. But the truth is slowly coming out: A teacher who asked not to be identified said that she and other teachers were told to fill up blank ballots with the names of Team Unity candidates. Students and other children were asked to mark the ballots with their thumbprints and sign their names on the voters’ list. What were the Comelec officials doing all the time? Or were they involved in the scheme to make all the TU candidates win in Maguindanao province?

 

In Philippine elections, cheating is done by almost every politician everywhere. Most politicians cheat in their bailiwicks and these, of course, are done in cahoots with election officials.

 

During Martial Law, the Marcos warlords were unbeatable in their fiefdoms e.g., the Dimaporos in Lanao and the Duranos in Cebu. Surely, the Inquirer editors do not believe that during the Marcos dictatorship there were real elections in the country. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo simply followed Marcos’s technique. She created a warlord family in Maguindanao – the Ampatuans.

 

Had Arroyo made me a warlord, I would have delivered a 12-0 vote, too. But it would be up to COMELEC to count it. When it comes to National Canvassing, anything can happen.

 

In the 1969 elections, many towns in Mindanao produced a 7-1 senatorial vote in favor of Nationalista Party. According to a relative, in their bailiwick, they were not counting LP votes except for Gerry Roxas’s votes. When the LP watchers complained, they told them to choose whether all LP votes would not be counted or the Roxas votes would be counted but not the others. (Roxas was the LP President at that time.) The LP watchers knew that even if they complained and there would be electoral protests, the process would take so long until they would become moot and academic. So the LP watchers meekly agreed to just shut up for the moment and let the Roxas votes be counted.

 

And to know more about the cheating in the 1969 elections, they can ask Eddie Ilarde, who cried foul the loudest.

 

But in my opinion, the 1969 and 1971 elections were cleaner than all the elections from 1987 onwards.

 

In Mindanao, I have voted in precincts where I never registered. I have seen my relatives vote many times in different precincts during Election Day. Once, I was given not one but a bundle of ballots to fill up. I know some towns where only one person vote for the whole townspeople. I have seen tens of ballots filled up by the same handwriting. And these all happened not in this election but in elections the Media had declared generally clean and peaceful.

 

As I mentioned elsewhere, I don’t mind much all the cheating going on. I used to characterize elections in Muslim Mindanao as a “Balance of Terror”. Everybody cheats in their bailiwicks. But this balance is removed when COMELEC, in cahoots with the military, does the cheating. COMELEC counting has nothing to do with the real votes.

 

MASS MEDIA are Waking Up

 

Thanks to the international observers, the telecommunications technology, etc., the media people are finally waking up to reality – the COMELEC reality. But it cannot be over-emphasized that the cheating did not start in this election nor in the 2004 election. It has always been like that, especially since Martial Law.

 

I hope that the Filipino people have now realized that something has to be done with the system of vote-counting. Computerization is of utmost importance. But the system must be made such that there would be a minimum of interference from humans and that counting must be based only on one document – the ballot itself.

=====================================================

Related Posts: 

Administration Candidates Creeping up the COMELEC count

 

COMELEC, Mayor Robredo, Sultan Kiram and Philippine citizenship

 

Vote-Buying, Burning and Killing by Cops, No Actual Voting – Philippine Election practices

 

Philippine Elections 2007 - In the Eye of the Storm

 

Philippine Elections 2007 - disenfranchisement, exit polls, stray votes, postponed elections, etc.

 

Don’t Look Now, but the Team Unity candidates are slowly creeping up in the winner’s circle according to the COMELEC count. While people are concentrating on the local level and looking at the NAMFREL count for the Senatorial race, the COMELEC count is slowly but surely putting the administration candidates in the winning circle.

 

In the COMELEC count as of 8:42 pm, May 20, 2007, the 8th to 13th places are occupied by TU candidates. Even the unwinnable Cesar Montano, an actor and johnny-come-lately, is in the Magic 12!

The Filipino people and the Mass Media need to be more vigilant than ever. Ther Electoral Process is far from over!!

 

COMELEC ruled that long-time Mayor Robredo of Naga City is not a natural-born Filipino because his great-grandfather, who came to the Philippines before 1898, did not apply for citizenship.

 

Yesterday, COMELEC suspended the proclamation of Mayor Jocelyn Limkaichiong as Representative of the First District of Negros Oriental because her father took his Oath of Allegiance before the 40-day period required for the Office of the Solicitor General to comment passed.

 

So what is a natural-born Filipino?

 

Article IV of the 1935 Philippine constitution states:

“Section 1. The following are citizens of the Philippines:

(1) Those who are citizens of the Philippine Islands at the time of the adoption of this Constitution.

(2) Those born in the Philippine Islands of foreign parents who, before the adoption of this Constitution, had been elected to public office in the Philippine Islands.

(3) Those whose fathers are citizens of the Philippines.

(4) Those whose mothers are citizens of the Philippines and, upon reaching the age of majority, elect Philippine citizenship.:

(5) Those who are naturalized in accordance with law.”

 

But then who were the citizens of the Philippines in 1935? Should it be based on the Malolos Constitution?

 

I believe the jurisprudence is that all subjects of the King of Spain indigenous to the Islands at the time of the 1898 Treaty of Paris were considered Philippine citizens.

 

But the Moros were neither subjects of the Monarchs of Spain nor were they part of Aguinaldo’s Republic.

 

If Mayor Robredo is not a Filipino, then there is no way could Sultan Jamalul Kiram III be considered a Filipino. None of his forebears were elected public officials. And even after the Malolos Constitution, the Team Unity senatorial candidate’s forebear and namesake, Sultan Jamal ul Kiram II of Sulu signed the Bates Treaty with the US government. This treaty was ratified by the then US President.

 

The Bates Treaty proves that the Sultanate of Sulu was never a part of the so-called First Philippine Republic. The sultanate also had various treaties with Spain, the Netherlands, England and even the US prior to this one, which prove that it was never a territory of Spain and thus its inhabitants were never subjects of the Spanish Crown.

 

To be consistent, the COMELEC should also disqualify Sultan Kiram for not being a natural-born Filipino. In fact, if one were to follow COMELEC’s logic, he is not even a Filipino citizen because none of his forebears applied for Filipino citizenship.

 

And what applies to senatorial candidate Sultan Kiram III applies to most Moros. 

 

====================================

Here is the full text of the Bates Treaty:

 

Sultan Jamal ul Kiram II was Sultan of Sulu 1884-1936 

 

The Bates Treaty of 1899
Conditional Agreement Between Brig.-General John C. Bates,
Representing the United States, and the Sultan of Jolo (Sulu)

August 20, 1899

Between Brigadier-General John C. Bates, representing the United States, of the one part; and his Highness, the Sultan of Jolo, the Dato Rajah Muda, the Dato Attik, The Dato Calbi, and the Dato Joakanain, of the other part: it being understood that this agreement will be in full force only when approved by the Governor-General of the Philippine Islands and confirmed by the President of the United States, and will be subject to future modifications by the mutual consent of the parties in interest.

Article I.

The sovereignty of the United States over the whole Archipelago of Jolo, and its dependencies, is declared and acknowledged.

Article II.

The United States flag will be used in the Archipelago of Jolo, and its dependencies, on land and sea.

Article III.

The rights and dignities of His Highness the Sultan, and his Datos, shall be fully respected; the Moros are not to be interfered with on account of their religion; all religious customs are to be respected, and no one is to be persecuted on account of his religion.

Article IV.

While the United States government may occupy and control such points in the Archipelago of Jolo as the public interests demand, encroachment will not be made upon the lands immediately about the residence of His Highness the Sultan, unless military necessity requires such occupation in case of war with a foreign power; and, where the property of individuals is taken, due compensation will be made in each case.

Any person can purchase land in the Archipelago of Jolo and hold the same by obtaining the consent of the Sultan and coming to satisfactory agreement with the owner of the land, and such purchase shall immediately be registered in the proper office of the United States Government.

Article V.

All trade in domestic products of the Arrchipelago of Jolo, when carried on by the Sultan and his people with any part of the Philippine Islands, and when conducted under the American flag, shall be free, unlimited, and undutiable.

Article VI.

The Sultan of Jolo shall be allowed to communicate direct with the Governor-General of the Philippine Islands in making complaint against the Commanding Officer of Jolo or against any Naval Commander.

Article VII.

The introduction of firearms and war material is forbidden, except under specific authority of the Governor-General of the Philippine Islands.

Article VIII.

Piracy must be suppressed and the Sultan and his Datos agree to heartily cooperate with the United States authorities to that end, and to make every possible effort to arrest and bring to justice all persons engaged in piracy.

Article IX.

Where crimes and offenses are committed by Moros against Moros, the government of the Sultan will bring to trial and punishment the criminals and offenders, who will be delivered to the government of the Sultan by the United States authorities if in their possession. In all other cases persons charged with crimes or offenses will be delivered to the United States authorities for trial and punishment.

Article X.

Any slave in the Archipelago of Jolo shall have the right to purchase freedom by paying to the master the usual market value.

Article XI.

In case of any trouble with subjects of the Sultan, the American authorities in the islands will be instructed to make careful investigation before resorting to harsh measures, as in most cases serious trouble can thus be avoided.

Article XII.

At present, American or foreigners wishing to go into the country should state their wishes to the Moro authorities and ask for an escort, but it is hoped that this will become unnecessary as we know each other better.

Article XIII.

The United States will give full protection to the Sultan and his subjects in case any foreign nation should attempt to impose upon them.

Article XIV.

The United States will not sell the island of Jolo or any other island of the Jolo Archipelago to any foreign nation without the consent of the Sultan of Jolo.

Article XV.

The United States government will pay the following monthly salaries:

To the Sultan	$250.00 (Mexican dollars)
To Dato Rajah Muda	$ 75.00
To Dato Attik	$ 60.00
To Dato Calbi	$ 75.00
To Dato Joakanain	$ 75.00
To Dato Amin Hussin	$ 60.00
To Dato Puyo	$ 60.00
To Hadji Butu	$ 50.00
To Hadji Mura	$ 10.00
To Serif Saguin	$ 15.00

Signed in triplicate, in English and Sulu, at Jolo, this 20th day of August, A.D. 1899 (13 Arabmil Ahil 1317).

(Signed)

John C. Bates,
Brigadier General, United States Volunteers

(Signed)

Hadji Mohammed Jamalol Kiram
Sultan of Jolo

(Signed)

Datu Rajah Muda
Datu Attik
Datu Kalbi
Datu Joakanain

VOTE-BUYING?

 

The International Observers Monitors were quite shocked when they saw for themselves people actually buying votes. In the Philippines, vote-buying is an accepted practice. It might even be legal because no less than the Secretary of Justice announced on national TV that he would give ten thousand pesos (P 10,000) to barangay chairpersons who would deliver a 12-0 senatorial sweep for the administration candidates.

 

Senator Lacson filed charges against Sec. Gonzales at the Ombudsman but I don’t know if it had been acted upon already.

 

ABS CBN reported that Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan, Sr. promised to give One Million pesos to any of his mayors who could deliver a 12-0 vote for the Team Unity slate. Clearly, both the Governor and the Secretary are guilty of vote-buying plus a host of offenses under Civil Service Rules.

 

If this were a truly democratic country ruled by a Constitution and a set of laws, then both the Secretary and the Governor would already be charged with various offenses and investigated regarding probable ill-gotten wealth.

 

VOTE-BUYING EVERYWHERE and EVERY TIME

 

A friend has just told me about his recent election experience in a province just outside Metro Manila. He said that one congressional candidate paid everyone who joined his motorcade. The ones who came with a car or jeep got 1,500 pesos each. A smaller amount was given to tricycle drivers. He also pays his campaign leaders weekly for the duration of the campaign. This candidate won.

 

Also according to this friend, the incumbent mayor paid everyone who comes to his numerous meetings P200 each. He met thousands of his leaders several times. He must have spent tens of millions of pesos. The mayor won together with all his councilors.

 

And in one meeting with a senatorial candidate, he and the others who attended the meeting got four thousand pesos each (P 4,000. 00).

 

As there are many ways to skin a cat, so are there many ways to buy votes.

 

Once, a relative told me and my siblings how they controlled the elections during the Marcos years. He said that they got copies of the Voters’ List and they would go from one house to another to personally buy the votes. They would do that for 70 % of the voters. A few days before the Election Day proper, they would go to the remaining 30% and would buy their votes, too. Naturally, they were unbeatable.

 

They were unbeatable as long as their benefactor stayed in Malacanang. When Marcos left, their political fortunes vanished.

 

JUETENG LORDS, SMUGGLERS, DRUG LORDS AS POLITICIANS

 

Thanks to the ubiquitous practice of Vote-buying, gambling lords / queens, smugglers, drug lords / queens have become politicians. As governors, congressmen / women, mayors, etc., these criminals have become respectable or “honorable” and could easily launder their money.

 

But there is a glimmer of hope. Right in the home province of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the people voted against the incumbent governor, Mark Lapid, actor and son of actor-senator Lito Lapid and against alleged jueteng (illegal numbers game) queen Lilia Pineda. Both Lapid and Pineda are close allies of the President.

 

The victory of Fr. Eddie Panlilio over Lapid and Pineda is a big slap in the face of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. This is clear proof that the people, even the President’s own province mates, want her out.

 

KILLINGS BY POLICEMEN

 

Five policemen are now in police custody as suspects in the burning of a school in Batangas which killed one teacher / election officer and a poll watcher. The suspects are members of a Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Special Operations Group. The cops are alleged to have links with the town mayor.

 

Just this incident alone already belies the administration’s claim that the 2007 election was peaceful and orderly. The ghastly crimes were committed not by politicians or their supporters but by the enforcers of the law themselves, the Police.

 

MANUFACTURED VOTES

 

According to MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu, “there was no actual conduct of elections in many parts of Maguindanao.” This is what is called Manufactured Votes. The votes trumpeted by Team Unity spokesman Tonypet Albano are actually “manufactured”. The people actually did not vote. The votes were done by officials, usually elected officials like barangay chairs or even town mayors.

 

This is normal practice in many parts of Mindanao.

 

The Inquirer headline story ‘No voting in Maguindanao’ is a good sign that the Media is getting vigilant and asking the right questions. I hope this trend continues.

==================================== 

See the ff.:

 

Ping sues DoJ chief over bounty for barangay officials

 

Cops linked to Batangas fire that killed 2

 

‘No voting in Maguindanao’

 

 

FROM

The Setting Sun

In yesterday’s Kapihan sa Senado, the spokesmen of the rival coalitions – Genuine Opposition (GO) and Team Unity (TU) – were at each other’s throats again. TU spokesman Tonypet Albano boasted that Maguindanao turned out a 12-0 vote for TU. GO spokesman Adel Tamano said that for a Christian and a non-Mindanaoan to top the vote in Muslim Mindanao is highly irregular.

 

Tonypet immediately called Adel a racist for saying such thing.

 

I only saw the news report so I did not get Adel’s rebuttal.

 

This is MY rebuttal.

 

First and foremost, Tonypet’s assertion that Adel was racist simply reflected his own racist thinking. The Muslim Filipinos and the Christian Filipinos – except for the Chinese and other naturalized citizens – belong to the same race, the Malay race.

 

Race was far from the mind of Adel, especially since he said Christian and non-Mindanaoan…

 

…It is obvious to discerning people that Tonypet is the racist one because his brain immediately took it for granted that Adel, being a Moro, was only talking about Moros and not Mindanaoans; and, in Tonypet’s mind, (Moros) Muslim Filipinos and Christian Filipinos do not belong to the same race…

 

FOR FULL TEXT GO TO:

The Setting Sun