Polls To Decide On Fate Of Politicians

ZAMBOANGA CITY – With three more days the May 14 polls, every institutions and individuals wanting to ensure an honest, orderly and peaceful, elections are now busy doing what they believe it takes are necessary to be done before “judgment day” comes.

Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, Commander of the Western Mindanao Command, issued operation guidelines to all Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) troops in Sulu Archipelago to ensure that there will be honest, peaceful and orderly elections throughout Sulu province on Monday, according to the Philippine Information Agency in Zamboanga City.

It said the guidelines states that troops in Sulu should be in active defense which will include the preemptive strike, security patrols and maneuvers, limited attacks, check-points, reconnaissance, and hot pursuit among others in order to deny the contested areas or positions to the ASG High value Targets (HVTs) and rouge MNLF leaders and their respective followers.

Equally, to maximize reportage on election related incidents, guidelines, and assistance to the electorate, the COMELEC has activated its text hotline nationwide.

Anybody needing immediate assistance through Short Messaging System (SMS) or texting , have to key-in the words COMELECTEXT (space)PRECINCT (space) ///(bday-mmddyy>.

Citizens may also send election situation or irregularities by texting COMELECTXT (space) REPORT (space) /.

At least 21 foreign observers from ASIAN countries such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia who are members of the Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) arrived here to monitor election proceedings.

They have divided themselves into groups for deployment in the provinces of Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur and Shariff Kabuntuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindano (ARMM) starting today until May 16.

The Asia Foundation together with the Philippine Council for Islam Development and Democracy (PCID), the Philippine Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) with fundings from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), made possible coming of this international observers in the city, ANFREL Coordinator Executive Director Somsri Hananuntasuk, said.

These observers will exchange best election practices from their countries and try to find out what is best applicable in the Philippine setting.

Some 219 foreign poll observers from 12 countries and seven organizations are also expected to join the others on Monday. Philippine Education Undersecretary Francis Sunga said they, along with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) jointly trained some 464,000 public school teachers as early as February and March this year about their role as members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) and Board of Canvassers (BOCs) on election day. (Mimi G. Bern-Edaga)