CONTRIBUTED BY ILANG-ILANG QUIJANO
POSTED BY BULATLAT
ELECTION WATCH/ BREAKING NEWS
May 16, 2007 – 5:42 p.m.

QUEZON PROVINCE—Foreign observers from the People’s International Observers Mission (IOM) found anomalous practices during the municipal and provincial canvassing of votes, including cases of police personnel being involved in the transport of ballot boxes and poll watchers being barred from canvassing centers.

On surprise visits to the canvassing centers in the municipal halls of Candelaria and Pagbilao on May 15, the 26-member IOM Quezon team was initially barred by election officers from entering but was later granted access.

Upon entering the canvassing center in Candelaria, the IOM immediately observed the presence of three armed members of the Provincial Police Mobile Group (PPMG) inside.

“This is a manifestation of the militarized system in the province. We may not have observed any interference of the canvassing on the part of the police, but there is a sinister reason that they are there, which is against election laws,” according to Johan Fobbelets, a trade union leader from Belgium and spokesperson of IOM-Quezon.

In Pagbilao, 12 members of the Philippine Army were stationed around 10 meters outside the municipal hall, where the canvassing was taking place. The IOM team immediately observed that the municipal hall was virtually empty. There was not a single poll watcher where the canvassing was taking place.

Even though election returns were spread out before the Board of Canvassers, and they were apparently in the middle of canvassing, they told the team to come back the next day since they would be taking a break. Outside, the IOM team interviewed several pollwatchers who claimed that they were barred entry into the canvassing centers.

“Obviously, they closed the doors so that no one can see what’s behind,” said Fobbelets.

Today, a local member of the IOM team spotted four members of the PPMG carrying two ballot boxes from the Commission on Elections provincial office in Lucena City. The police were carrying M-16s and refused to answer any questions, which was a clear violation of the Omnibus Election Code .

Nonetheless, the IOM Quezon team said that their mission was a success. “Our presence was an important deterrent to those who wanted to commit fraud,” said Fobbelets.

The foreign observers also expressed gratitude at the warm welcome given them by Quezon Gov. Willie Enverga, several local officials of the Comelec, Parish Pastoral Council For Responsible Voting, National Movement for Free Elections, members of the Board of Election Inspectors and Board of Canvassers, and local residents.

“Our mission shows that together with the Filipino people, the international community is fighting for democracy in the Philippines and against fraud and violence,” said Fobbelets. (Bulatlat.com)

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