Post-Election Assessment:
Elections in Eastern Visayas Marred by Fraud, Violence

The conduct of the May 10 elections in Eastern Visayas is no different from the rest of the country. The report by an election watchdog set up by people’s organizations showed rampant fraud, violence and irregularities.

BY MAUREEN JAPZON
Bulatlat.com

“The incidents of fraud and violence documented by the Task Force cannot be simply treated as ‘isolated cases and incidents,’” said Alex Lagunzad, spokesperson of the task force.   “They need to be addressed accordingly in order not to pose ill precedents for future elections and to safeguard the people’s right to suffrage.”

Election Day violence

On election eve alone, a total of eight election-related deaths were recorded. Incidents of shoot-outs between armed groups of local politicians were also reported.

The latest was at 1 a.m. of election day (May 10) itself when a hand grenade was thrown and exploded at the Municipal Treasurer’s Office of Taft town in Eastern Samar, destroying election paraphernalia.

Unidentified armed men were also reported going around Calbayog City and Biri Island in Northern Samar, campaigning for their local candidates. Eight men linked to the armed private armies of local politicians were arrested for illegal possession of firearms.

Meanwhile, the private army of big landlord Aznar was reported to have harassed voters in Tabango, Leyte, also on May 10. A total of 60 households or 287 voters were reportedly disenfranchised, as a result of the incident.

Red scare

A week before the elections, attacks against the party-list Bayan Muna and five other progressive party-list groups in the tri-media heightened.

A three-day paid advertisement was published in the region’s only daily newspaper Leyte-Samar Daily Express (LSDE) starting May 6 or four days before the elections. “It was signed by the ‘People’s Broad National Democratic Alliance,’ a never-heard-of organization,” Melvin Anino, secretary-general of Bayan-Sinirangan Bisayas said. 

“The ad was consistent with the public pronouncement of National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzalez accusing that a connection between the party-list groups and the revolutionary underground exists, which was never been proven by the former,” Anino elaborated.

Reports from Task Force Bantay Eleksyon also revealed that soldiers hanged streamers, posted computer printouts or spray painted on walls messages declaring the six progressive party-list groups as NPA fronts. One of the streamers read, “NPA Party-lists – Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Anak ng Bayan, Migrante and Suara Bangsamoro ‘Wag Iboto…Salot sa Bayan!”

Other messages were: "Isulong ang agenda ng NPA sa Kongreso!" allegedly signed by the NPA. This was evident along the Maharlika highway in the two districts of Samar, in various municipalities of Leyte Island and other parts of Eastern and Northern Samar and even in Southern Leyte and Biliran provinces.

Vote buying

Rampant vote-buying incidents were observed in all the six provinces of the region.  Fake P1,000 and P500 bills reportedly used in vote buying were circulated in Borongan, Eastern Samar; Calbayog City in Samar and MacArthur, Mayorga, Tanauan and Tacloban City in Northern Leyte province.

A certain Lilia Cajipe of MacArthur town surrendered to local police 47 pieces of fake one thousand-peso bills allegedly used by Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council) candidates Leo Animos and Sandrex Tampil. On the other hand, two police officers – SPO2 Virgilio Capongcol and SPO3 Ibañez, also of the same town reportedly confiscated fake 500-peso bills on election day.

Vote buying in the region ranged from P30 or P50-P150 for the local positions while P100-P500 for congressional, gubernatorial and national seats. Twenty-four incidents of vote buying were recorded by the task force.

Missing ballots and snatching

Task Force Bantay Eleksyon also cited 10 incidents of ballot snatching/missing on May 10.  These happened in the towns of San Jorge, Gandara, and Calbayog City in Western Samar; Mayorga and Isabel in Leyte and in the municipality of Pambujan in Northern Samar province.

Meanwhile, missing ballots were reported in one of the precincts in Brgy. San Jose, Dulag, Leyte on election day.

Fraud and irregularities

On the other hand, Task Force Pollwatch, a separate group convened by the progressive party-list groups Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Anak ng Bayan Youth Party and Gabriela Women’s Party in the region reported cases of fraud and irregularities.

Nestor Nirza, documentor-tabulator of the said task force, said “Incidents of dagdag-bawas (vote padding and shaving) were reported in Maydolong, Eastern Samar and Lapinig, Victoria and Lope de Vega towns in Northern Samar.”

Based on the certificates of canvass (COC), Bayan Muna garnered 101 votes in Maydolong town but in the statement of votes (SOV), the tally reflected just one  vote for the said party-list.  The discrepancy of 100 votes was reportedly credited for Banat, another party-list, which follows Bayan Muna in the list. Banat is the party national security aide Norberto Gonzales.

Meanwhile, while the COC of the same town reflected 92 votes for Anakpawis party-list, the provincial canvass showed zero vote for the party-list. “This is very odd since, Anakpawis provincial chairperson in Eastern Samar lives in the municipality. He would definitely vote for the party he represents,” Nirza explained.

The same trends were seen in the town of Lapinig, Victoria and Lope de Vega towns in Northern Samar.  The canvass watchers filed complaints to the Provincial Board of Canvassers but said complaints were denied despite of the merit of the claims.

In Brgy. Iguid, Catbalogan, Samar, local leaders reported that Anak ng Bayan party-list was not included in the tally sheets used for counting of votes, thus neglecting the votes cast for the said party. Meanwhile, Nirza noted “In San Isidro and Villaba towns of the third congressional district of Leyte, we find it irregular that COCs do not bear the votes cast in words but only the numerical figures.”

Unlawful arrests and abductions

The election campaign also witnessed several incidents of abductions and arrests of members of progressive party-list groups.

On the eve of the elections, five members of Bayan Muna in Leyte were arrested and detained by the local police.  They were accused of distributing campaign materials in violation of the campaign ban day before election day. The five however said they were simply on their way to their own barangays to distribute appointments of poll watchers.  They were released on May 11 since the charges against them lacked merit.

Meanwhile, four armed men on board a black Delica van abducted two coordinators of the party-list Bayan Muna (People First) last Feb. 21. Jacqueline Paguntalan, 26, of Taft, Eastern Samar, and Rolando Fortaliza, 30, of Ormoc City, were reportedly abducted morning of Feb. 21 at Agta Beach in Brgy. Kilim, Baybay town in Northern Leyte while they were on their way out after they took some refreshment.  The two came to Baybay, Leyte to attend a meeting of the party. The two are still missing as of press time.

On March 10, Joy Paloma, community organizer of the party-list Anakpawis (Toiling Masses) was arrested by elements of the 46^th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army at Brgy. Hiloctugan, Carigara, Leyte on suspicion of being a New People’s Army (NPA) organizer.           

Meanwhile, two members of Anakpawis party-list in Capoocan town were reportedly coerced by elements of the 46^th IB headed by 1Lt. Eugene Muyco to accompany soldiers in full battle gear during their military operation within the area.

Military and police intervention?

Just before the elections, massive movements of troops and redeployments were monitored in the region.

On May 5, elements of the 20^th IB PA were deployed to Calbayog City in Western Samar and Catarman in Northern Samar. 

Troops from the 46^th IB PA were also monitored in Dagami town in Leyte.  They temporarily occupied the town’s gymnasium during their stay in the area.  Meanwhile, several companies from the same army unit conducted foot patrols in Luneta, Lapaz and Sta. Isabel, MacArthur and in the towns of Jaro and Carigara in Leyte.

Active military operations were noted in the towns of Silvino Lobos, San Isidro, Victoria in Northern Samar; Matuguinao, Gandara, San Jorge, Motiong, Paranas, Pinabacdao, Sta. Rita and Basey in Western Samar; Borongan in Eastern Samar; Lapaz, MacArthur and Albuera in Northern Leyte.

Despite reinforced police and military presence in the areas, failures of elections were declared in several barangays in Calbayog City and Ormoc City, which were considered to be “election hotspots” several months before the polls.

In Lapaz, Leyte, elements of the 19^th IB PA reportedly tore off Anak ng Bayan and Bayan Muna campaign posters in the vicinity of Brgy. Luneta during their military operation.  “This is tantamount to campaigning against the progressive party-lists, which is prohibited among government officials by our anti-electioneering laws,” said Asher Allunar, regional coordinator of Anak ng Bayan (Nation’s Youth) Youth Party. Bulatlat.com

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