Cases of electoral fraud and violence
In spite of the wanton and incessant smear campaign, violence and fraud inflicted on progressive parties, Bayan Muna posted a big lead in the party-list elections and won three seats in congress. Anakpawis likewise won two seats and Gabriela Women's Party, one. Other progressive parties were nonetheless prevented from winning in the face of the zealous and brazen actions taken by the military, police and various anticommunist fanatical groups against them.
Simultaneously, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales relentless tried to prevent the winning progressive parties from taking their seats in congress. Before the election, Gonzales led a systematic campaign of slander and harassment against six progressive parties. Failing in this, he resorted to blocking the proclamation of progressive parties by pushing for their disqualification. To gloss over reports of massive fraud and terrorism in the recent polls, Gonzales and his ilk have accused Patriots, a group composed mostly of church people advocating clean and credible elections, of being a communist front. Gonzales strains to implicate Patriots in so-called destabilization plots against the Arroyo regime such as "Oplan Aklas Bayan" and more recently, "Oplan Evergreen."
Nonetheless, the malicious campaign Gonzales spearheaded has failed to prevent the progressive parties from taking their seats. BM, Anakpawis and Gabriela have already been proclaimed. The progressive parties are now pushing for the ouster of Gonzales as well as military and police officers and personnel who directly intervened in the recent polls.
The following is but a partial listing of incidents of fraud and violence against progressive groups and individuals:
In Southern Mindanao, Anakpawis reported massive fraud in hinterland barangays of Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur. In Compostela Valley, there are 40,000 Anakpawis supporters but only 9,000 of them were able to vote.
In Maguindanao, Suara Bangsamoro complained of cases of "dagdag-bawas" (vote-shaving). In Datu Montawal town, for instance, Suara Bangsamoro got 2,449 votes but only 606 votes were reflected in the certificate of canvass. In Sultan sa Barongis, not a single vote was credited to Suara Bangsamoro when the military took over the canvassing. In Ampatuan town, the board of canvassers refused to acknowledge votes for the party due to intense pressure from the military. Meanwhile, Suara Bangsamoro poll watchers in Sulu complained that elements of the Philippine Marines forbade boards of inspectors from reading and counting votes for the party.
There were instances where votes were canvassed inside military camps in Mindanao, although this is illegal. The provincial canvassing for Maguindanao was conducted in Camp Sionco (headquarters of the 16th IB) while the municipal canvass for Parang and Matanog towns in the same province were done in Camp Salipada Pendatun.
In Iloilo, elements of the 47th IB set up checkpoints and stopped Bayan Muna supporters on their way to the precincts. Military officials also reportedly promised a P10,000 reward to every barangay captain who could convince the electorate against voting for Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and other progressive parties.
Philippine Army, Air Force, Navy and Philippine National Police elements who came all the way from Jolo, Basilan and Zamboanga meantime swarmed Moro communities in Maharlika Village, Taguig, Rizal and precincts at the Taguig National High School. In Moro communities in Quiapo, Manila, elements of the Philippine Marines freely streamed in and out of polling precincts. The Marines took down election data while the police pored over tally sheets.
On the eve of the elections, seven armed men suspected of being military forces barged into the Bayan Muna office in Angeles City. They dragged, kicked and warned Divine Zamboanga from continuing her work. Zamboanga was the lone Bayan Muna member in the office when the armed men came. They ransacked and took away documents, a computer and other office equipment.
In Mindoro island, roads leading to and away from suspected bailiwicks of Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and other progressive parties were dotted with checkpoints. The military questioned persons coming from such areas, asked for their residence certificates and told those who planned to go to the precincts to vote to go home. In Mangyan communities like Paluan, Abra de Ilog, Sta. Cruz, Mamburao and Baco towns, the military blatantly campaigned against progressive parties and for reactionary and pro- military candidates. In Mindoro Oriental, they brazenly campaigned for the fascist and promilitary Bert Marasigan who was running for governor.
The military also oversaw the implementation of the so-called "pala-pala" where Mangyans were gathered in one place and "taught" how to write down the name of individual candidates and party-list groups. But the AFP only taught them how to write the names of candidates who were in league with them and the fascist party-list group ANAD.
In Isabela, the COMELEC rescinded on June 7 its order dated May 22 that suspended the proclamation of Grace Padaca on the basis of trumped-up cases filed against her by her fiercest rival Faustino Dy Jr. The Dy family is doing everything�barefacedly employing violence and perpetrating fraud and other dirty tactics to block Padaca's proclamation. Dy has hurled utterly baseless charges against Padaca, saying she conspired with the NPA to perpetrate fraud and violence to secure her victory. Religious leaders, the mass media and various other people's sectors have strongly and widely assailed Dy for maligning Padaca and the NPA.
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