MIGRANT WATCH

Migrante Condemns Absentee Voting Anomalies, Harassments

Fraud and harassments have always been part of Philippine elections for decades. But when such malpractices take place in countries outside the Philippines where OFWs are supposed to vote, then there must be really something wrong with the election process itself.

BY BENJIE OLIVEROS
Bulatlat.com

“Already, overseas absentee voting is marked by misinformation, harassment and possibly cheating.  If things aren’t rectified, many OFWs will be disenfranchised at the minimum and, at the maximum, the groundwork for fraud will be laid.” This was the fear expressed by Connie Bragas-Regalado, chairperson and first nominee of the Migrante Sectoral Party (MSP).

Hong Kong is a place where overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are relatively more organized and concentrated.  This is where a big number of OFWs are expected to participate in the overseas absentee voting.  It is also a place where the MSP is expected to garner a substantial number of votes. 

But the conduct of absentee voting in Hongkong was reportedly marred by anomalies.  The Migrante Party List poll watchers in Hongkong reported incidents of violations committed by Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI).  One was caught instructing a voter to deposit a blank ballot in the ballot box.  Another was heard telling two voters that there is no need for them to vote for a party-list group. 

Other incidents reported by MSP include an inspector talking over the phone while inside a precinct in clear violation of Commission on Election (Comelec) rules.  There were also instances of inspectors refusing to answer procedural questions from voters.  The SBEI Chairman of Precinct 13 refused the request of poll watchers to know the serial numbers of ballots used for the day, MSP also reported.

Harassments

In Saudi Arabia, a country that hosts a big number of OFWs, two MSP members were arrested last April 15 by Saudi police while distributing sample ballots in the embassy’s parking lot. They were detained for more than seven hours, from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

According to reports received by MSP, Philippine embassy official Addy Cruz asked the Saudi police to arrest Engr. Domingo Yalung and Danny Morales in clear violation of their rights. They were ordered arrested by Cruz for allegedly “selling” sample ballots.

“The two were not selling ballots.  And even if they were distributing sample ballots inside embassy premises, they were not violating any Saudi Arabian laws. Our kababayans (compatriots) abroad are understandably eager about participating in the national elections.  For Cruz to have them arrested on false charges is simply malicious,” Bragas-Regalado asserts.

In Ilocos Sur, a province in the Philippines where a substantial number of OFWs and their relatives live, two officers of the Regional Mobile Group of the Philippine National Police harassed MSP members holding a provincial assembly in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur. 

Buhay Bangcawayan, MSP’s provincial coordinator for Ilocos Sur, said the two police officers approached them, right after the assembly, and demanded that they turn over the list of all members and officers of MSP in the province. When queried on the reasons for their demand, the police officers claimed that they had direct orders from “national” to collect intelligence information on the moves of progressive party list groups in the area. Bulatlat.com    

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