Day: May 9, 2010


Lubao, Pampanga, the hometown of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, will be one of the destinations of the biggest international mission to observe the 2010 elections. Composed of delegates from Australia, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Hongkong, Taiwan, France, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands, the People’s International Observers Mission (PIOM) has officially started.


Technical glitches which hounded the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines in tests that were administered to these are part of a long series of problems that have occurred in the process of holding the first-ever automated elections in the country. By itself, but especially when seen together with the other problems that have occurred earlier, this failure seriously undermines the credibility of the May 10 elections.


Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair Jose Melo must reserve his smile until after the elections. Pagbabago! People’s Movement for Change issued the statement as it called for increased public vigilance despite repeated assurances from poll officials that the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines are now running perfectly and that elections will push through on Monday.


DAVAO CITY — In a candle lighting and prayer vigil held at Centennial Park, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Southern Mindanao Region calls for unity among various opposition parties against the plot to fail the upcoming May 2010 election. Bayan expressed disgust over the COMELEC’s failure to patch up possible technical problems exactly four days before the election.


Alarmed by the recent event when the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) ordered the recall of some 76,000 defective compact flash cards for the voting machines that would possibly lead to failure of elections scenario, an alliance of Filipino migrant workers’ group in the Middle East said it will lead forming a coalition of various OFW groups and individuals against ‘no election’ or failure of election.


The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) warned that election postponement or election failure will benefit no one but Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The group kicked off protest actions in front of the Comelec today against any “no-election and holdover scenario” that it fears could arise from the problems in poll automation.