AFP, PNP magbibigay ng dagdag proteksyon sa PCOS, balota sa Western Midnanao

Dumating na rin sa wakas sa Cotabato City ang mga balota na gagamitin sa automated elections sa susunod na buwan. Ang mga balota ay gagamitin sa Cotabato City at Maguindanao province. Sinigurado naman ng militar at pulisya na may sapat na proteksyon ang mga balota at Precinct Count Optical Scan machines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo - Mark Navales).

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / April 25, 2010) – Magbibigay umano ng sapat na siguridad ang militar at pulisya upang maproteksyunan ang mga balotang gagamitin sa halalan sa susunod na buwan.

Naunang dumating ang mga Precinct Count Optical Scan o PCOS machines sa Zamboanga City kamakalawa at sinundan naman ito kahapon ng mga balotang nakalaan sa Zamboanga Sibugay, Basilan, Sulu at Tawi-Tawi.

Sinigurado ng Western Mindanao Command na may sapat na proteksyon ang mga ito.

“Municipal treasurers will receive and transport their ballots to their respective areas. The Task Force Zamboanga (ng Western Mindanao Command) and the Zamboanga City Police Office will provide the necessary security during the turn-over of the ballots,” ani kahapon ni 1st Lt. Steffani Cacho, ang tagapagsalita ng Western Mindanao Command.

Sinabi pa nitong nakahanda na rin ang Commission on Elections regional office sa Western Mindanao at Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao sa anumang karagdagang abiso ng COMELEC Central Office ukol sa mga susunod na delivery ng mga balota.

Nuong nakaraang linggo ay 14 na PCOS machines ang kulang sa delivery ng COMELEC sa Zamboanga City na 424 lamang. Mabuti na lamang at muling binilang ang mga ito sa isang warehouse sa Zamboanga at doon lamang nabatid na kulang ito.

Nagpalusot ang COMELEC na naiwan lamang sa kanilang warehouse sa Laguna province ang 14 na PCOS. Kung hindi nabisto ay posibleng magamit ang 14 PCOS machine sa anomalya. Tinatayang 76,000 PCPS machines ang kailangan sa kauna-unahang automated elections sa bansa.

Wala pa rin tiwala ang publiko sa COMELEC dahil sa mga sari-saring bintang sa poll body mula ng mabuko itong may sabwatan sa pandaraya nuong 2004 presidential elections na kung saan ay nagwagi sa Pangulong Gloria Arroyo. (Mindanao Examiner)

Notre Dame, COMELEC Urge Students To Register For 2010 Polls

The Commission on Elections in Kidapawan City in North Cotabato province set up a mobile voter’s registration center at the Notre Dame College. The school and the poll body have urged students who are eligible to vote to register and exercise their rights of suffrage. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Geo Solmerano)

KIDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato (Mindanao Examiner / August 14, 2009) - The Notre Dame College of Kidapawan and the Commission on Elections have urged students who are eligible to vote next year to register and exercise their rights of suffrage.

The Commission on Elections in Kidapawan City set up a mobile voter’s registration center at the Notre Dame College in an effort to hasten the registration of students.

Civilians were also allowed by the Notre Dame to register with the Commission on Elections.

Filipinos are to elect their local and national officials in next year's polls. (Arlene Solmerano)

Mindanao poll officer's shooters identified

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 23, 2009) – Police on Thursday have identified two alleged suspects in the shooting of a poll official in the southern Philippines and are being hunted in the failed murder.

Police said the duo Adta Limba, alias Tah Pusher, and Kanakan Karim, also known as Kritikal, who were both implicated in the shooting of lawyer Rendon Gutierrez, 43, in Cotabato City on April 21, near his karaoke bar.

Gutierrez, poll officer of Libungan town in North Cotabato, was shot in the head, but survived the attack and is recuperating at an undisclosed hospital, police said.

Police said witnesses pointed to the two men as the shooters and they were among 15 prisoners who escaped April 16 from a jail in Cotabato City. (Geo Solmerano)

North Cotabato poll official ambushed

KIDAPAWAN, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 15, 2009) – Unidentified motorcycle gunmen shot dead a Filipino poll officer in a broad daylight attack Wednesday in North Cotabato province in the restive region of Mindanao, south of the Philippines, police said.

Police said Francisco Micutuan was ambushed at around 3.15 p.m. in the village of Buayan in the town of M’lang.

The 58-year old poll registrar was driving his multi-cab on his way to the office of the Commission on Elections when the two gunmen drove near his side and shot him several times at close range. He was instantly killed, police said.

The gunmen escaped on their motorbike and police said it is still investigating the motive of the killing. It was unknown if the killing was connected to next year’s local and national polls. Police said it has formed Task Force Frank that will handle the case of the slain election official. (Geo Somerano)

Zamboanga Poll Office Announces New Voters Registration

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 12, 2009) - The Commission of Elections announced it will start registration of new voters in Zamboanga City.

It said the registration would start April 1 and runs until September 30 this year. The poll body would also put up satellite offices in different villages.

Poll official Jesus Posadas Jr. said new registrant should a valid identification card such as those issued by the Social Security System, among others.

He said registrants staying within the city proper are advised to go to the Comelec office at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex along R.T. Lim Blvd.

The continuing registration of voters started December 2 last year and ends on December 15, 2009. (Charlotte Yola Mira)

No Money, No Polls For Recall Petitions, Says Poll Body

Philanthropist Sulu Governor Sakur Tan.

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 23, 2009) – The Commission on Elections on Friday denied a news report that it gave a go signal for the conduct of recall petitions to six of 28 cases now pending with the poll body due to the lack of funding.

Comelec officials said they were surprised over the news report published Friday that alleged the poll body approved the recall petitions.

Mat Din, the spokesman of Comelec chairman Jose Melo, said he was surprised by the report, saying, it was misleading.

“I was surprised by the report that the Comelec has approved the recall petitions of six cases. The report is misleading. Right now, the Comelec en banc resolution suspending all the recall petitions stays,” Din told the Mindanao Examiner.

Din was referring to an en banc resolution dated November 13, which ordered the suspension of the recall petitions.

“Whereas, the request of the Commission for the release of additional funds for recall elections was not favorably considered due to funding constraints; Now, therefore, the Commission resolved, as it hereby resolves, to suspend action on all petitions filed and pending before the Commission until funds are made available for the purpose,” the en banc resolution said.

Din expressed pessimism that the recall petitions may not push through at all unless Congress approves its request for more funding. “The only way we can pursue these recall petitions is for Congress to give us funding, but I doubt it because there is no more time and we may not be able to get the needed appropriation,” he said.

The report said the Comelec approved the recall petitions only for Pampanga Gov. Eddie T. Panlilio, Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan, Mayor Isidro L. Hemedes Jr., of Cabuyao, Laguna; Mayor Rexito P. Bantayan, Mauban, Quezon; Mayor Gervasio A. Basbas, of Matag-Ob, Leyte; and Vice Mayor Rossman Carry E. Uera, of Pantabangan in Nueva Ecija province.

It was unknown why only the six politicians out of 28 also facing recall petitions were singled out in the report.

In the same report published Friday, Melo allegedly wrote a letter to Rep. Junie E. Evangelista Cua, chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, asking Congress to appropriate at least P93 million needed for the holding of the six recall elections.

Melo said the Comelec cannot hold the recall elections because the amount appropriated in the 2008 national budget for the conduct of that elections is only P5 million.

The Local Government Code prohibits the holding of recall elections one year immediately preceding regular elections. The Philippines is to hold presidential and national elections in May 2010.

James Jimenez, Comelec spokesman, said all recall elections remain suspended for lack of money. “As of now, all recall petitions are suspended. I don’t know anything about orders approving the recall petitions and as far as we are concerned there is no move to pursue any of the cases,” Jimenez said in a separate interview.

In Sulu, Sonny Abing, Tan’s spokesman, said the recall petition against the governor is without basis. “Governor Tan is a hardworking man; he is well-loved by his constituents,” he said by phone from his office at the Provincial Capitol.

The recall petition against Tan started after he and other provincial lawmakers rejected last year proposals by some politicians, who are now in their last term, to divide Sulu into two provinces so they can again run in 2010 elections.

The Comelec said 62,631 voters from Sulu's 19 towns had signed the recall papers on August 29, but lawyer Vidzfar Julie, the deputy regional chief, claimed they rejected thousands of spurious signatures from the petition.

And these were on top of more than 10,000 others, who denied they signed the recall petition, three of them poll officials, including a broadcaster of the state-run Radyo ng bayan in Sulu.

Tan won by a landslide with more than 60,000 votes against the incumbent governor Benjamin Loong and former rebel leader Nur Misuari. After his election, Tan immediately ordered police and military authorities to put a stop to the smuggling of contraband and illegal weapons into the province, many of which fall into the hands of rebels and armed goons of politicians.

He also introduced drastic reforms to fight corruption and ordered the Commission on Audit to regularly examine records or financial accounts of government projects to check their accuracy.

Muslim and Christian religious organizations and various civil society groups, including the business groups and chambers in Sulu have thrown their support behind Tan, a known philanthropist in Mindanao. They also signed petitions and manifestos supporting Tan's administration. (Mindanao Examiner)

COMELEC to resume continuing registration of voters December 2

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections announced Friday the continuing registration of voters in all areas nationwide, except in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), shall resume beginning December 2, 2008 to December 15, 2009.

In Resolution No. 8514 promulgated November 12, 2008, the COMELEC en banc ruled to adopt the use of biometrics technology for the purpose of “establishing a clean, complete, permanent and updated list of voters.”

“Applications for registration, transfer of registration records, reactivation and changes/corrections of entries in the registration records/inclusion of registration records/reinstatement of name in the list of voters, shall be personally filed beginning December 2, 2008 to December 15, 2009 at the Office of the Election Officer (OEO) of the district/city/municipality where the applicant resides from Monday to Friday, during regular office hours at 8:00 o’clock AM to 5:00 o’clock PM,” the resolution stated.

The COMELEC will be deploying one (1) Data Capturing Machine in every Office of the City/Municipal Election Officer to facilitate the registration.

“The continued use of biometrics technology in the registration process proves that the Commission is determined to purge the voters list,” says COMELEC spokesman James Jimenez, adding that this move is also part of the poll body’s efforts to ensure the success of the 2010 national and local elections.

Jimenez said any Filipino citizen who is at least eighteen years of age and a resident of the Philippines for at least one (1) year, and in the place where he proposes to vote, for at least six (6) months on or before the day of the election; may register to vote. Deactivated voters may also apply for reactivation of their registration records during the period prescribed, he said.

Filing of applications for registration shall be done personally at the Office of the Election Officer. Applicants will be required to present valid identification cards such as employee’s ID; postal ID; Students ID; Senior Citizen’s ID; Drivers License; NBI/PNP clearance; Passport; SSS/GSIS ID; IBP ID, PRC license etc.

COMELEC: No money for recall election in Pampanga

MANILA, Philippines (abs-cbnNEWS.com / Oct. 16, 2008) - A Commission on Elections official on Thursday said the filing of the petition against Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio may all go to waste because the poll body doesn't have the funds to finance a recall election in the province.

"If we have no funds, the petition for recall won't move," Fernando Rafanan, COMELEC legal director, told ABS-CBN’s morning show, “Umagang Kay Ganda.”

Rafanan, however, said the COMELEC will still act on the recall petition filed Wednesday by The Kapanalig at Kambilan ning Memalen Pampanga (Kambilan) led by Vice Governor Joseller “Yeng” Guiao.

He said the COMELEC branch in Pampanga would have to assess the petition if is sufficient in form and substance.

If the petition was certified sufficient in form and substance, it would have to be submitted in three days to the COMELEC deputy executive director for operations for verification.

Once verified, the petition will go to the COMELEC en banc for deliberation and determination if the poll body has funds for a recall election.

Rafanan said as far as he knows, the COMELEC doesn’t have available funds for a recall election.
He said similar petitions failed to prosper in the poll body’s main office due to lack of funds.
Guiao’s group went to the COMELEC office in Pampanga to submit their petition and presented 224,875 signatures.

Panlilio, for his part, said he welcomes the move of Guiao’s group. He said he is confident that the majority of the people of Pampanga still support him. Hundreds of supporters of Guiao’s group held at least a couple of hours of protest rally at the provincial capitol before filing the recall petition.

The protesters were joined by joined by at least seven Pampanga mayors.(abs-cbnNEWS.com)

COMELEC uncovers spurious names in recall petition Vs. Sulu governor

SULU, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 11, 2008) – The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has uncovered thousands of spurious names from the list of those who signed the recall petition against Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan.

Tan’s political opponents have filed a petition with the COMELEC to unseat him, citing the loss of confidence in his leadership.

Lawyer Vidzfar Julie, the COMELEC’S deputy regional chief, said they will have to carefully verify the signatures in the recall petition to ensure they are authentic and had voted in last year’s elections in Sulu after they have uncovered 6,800 spurious names in the recall petition.

“These names and signatures in the recall petition are not even registered in Sulu,” Julie told the Mindanao Examiner.

He said the names had been stricken out of the petition papers. “The COMELEC will have to verify all the signatures in the recall petition to determine whether they are authentic or not or whether all those who signed the petition are really registered voters of Sulu,” Julie said.

Ali Judah, a resident of Lugus, an island town off Sulu, accused Tan of failing to improve the peace and order situation in the province.

He blamed Tan for the kidnapping of ABS-CBN television reporter Ces Dillon and three others early this year. The trio secretly went to the Abu Sayyaf to interview one of its leaders, Radulan Sahiron, but were eventually held and released weeks later after paying huge ransom.

Judah, in his 26-page petition, said that Tan failed to deliver basic government services to residents and accused the politician of terminating livelihood programs of past administration under defeated governor Benjamin Loong.

It was unknown who funded Jilah's petition, but the local poll office said 62,631 alleged voters from Sulu's 19 towns had signed the recall papers on August 29.

Little was known about Judah, but he was able to hire the services of a battery of prominent lawyers in Manila to pursue the petition. Judah is believed being used by Tan’s political detractors.

Jose Melo, the COMELEC Chairman, earlier said that it has no more funding to finance any recall petitions and that those who are pursuing it should put up the money or ask the government to release the fund.

Julie said at least P50 million are needed by the COMELEC to proceed with the recall petition in Sulu.

Money is overflowing in Sulu allegedly to bribe local officials in supporting the recall petition against Tan. Even journalists were reportedly being paid to destroy Tan’s political reputation, but others rejected the bribe, according to sources in Sulu, but this could not be independently confirmed.

The petition against Tan started after he and provincial lawmakers rejected last year a proposal by some politicians, who are now in their last term, to divide Sulu into two provinces so they can again run in 2010 elections.

Political dynasties are rampant in Sulu province, where many politicians win by either by fraud or cheating and vote-buying. The petition also is believed connected with Tan's order to the police and military authorities to disband private armies of politicians who are known warlords in Sulu.

Tan, who won by a landslide against Loong and former rebel leader Nur Misuari, last year, also ordered authorities to put a stop to the smuggling of contraband and illegal weapons into the province, many of which fall into the hands of rebels and armed goons of politicians.

He also introduced drastic reforms to fight corruption and ordered the Commission on Audit to regularly examine records or financial accounts of government projects to check their accuracy.

Muslim and Christian religious organizations and various civil society groups, including the business groups and chambers in Sulu have thrown their support behind Tan. They also signed petitions and manifestos supporting Tan’s administration.

Professor Fred Concepcion, one of Tan’s executive assistant, earlier said the governor is not disturb by the recall petition because it was all without basis and that Sulu's peace and order and economic stability have drastically improved under the new administration.

He said since Tan assumed office last year he has already completed many infrastructure and housing projects and various community and sustainable livelihood and agricultural programs.

“These are continuing projects aimed at sustaining our gains for the benefit of the people of Sulu,” Concepcion said.

Tan’s detractors accused him of terminating Loong's “Arms to Farms” program, which provides farmers in Sulu various agricultural support. But the program was not of Loong and had been developed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to assist former Muslim rebels’ transition into peaceful, civilian lives.

However, the program was used as campaign propaganda in the past elections.Besides Tan, a recall petition was also started by political opponents of Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio, who is also fighting corruption and illegal gambling activities in his province. (Mindanao Examiner)

COMELEC: Sa Mga Nagsusulong Ng Recall Election, Maglabas Ng Pondo

MAYNILA (Bombo Radyo) - Pinayuhan ni Commission on Election (Comelec) Chairman Jose Melo ang mga nagsusulong ng recall election na maglabas ng sarili nilang pera kung nais nilang matuloy ito.

Ayon kay Melo, walang mangyayari sa mga petisyon para sa recall election kung hindi maglalabas ng sariling pondo ang mga nagsusulong nito dahil wala naman aniyang sapat na pondo ang Comelec para dito.

Ipinaliwanag ni Melo na limang milyong piso lamang ang pondo ng Comelec para sa recall election at hindi aniya ito makasasapat para pagbigyang lahat ang mga petisyon.

Maaari rin naman aniyang humingi ng tulong sa Malacañang ang mga nagsusulong ng recall para mabigyan ng dagdag na pondo ang Comelec.

Nakatakda nang talakayin bukas ng Comelec en banc ang recall petition laban kay Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, habang patuloy pa namang nangangalap ng mga lagda ang nagsusulong ng recall petition laban kay Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio.

Photo: Military Helps COMELEC Transport Poll Machines In Mindanao

Philippine infantry and airmen from the Air Force’s Tactical Operation Group 12 transport 169 units of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM's) to South Upi in Mindanao by helicopter in the nation's first ever automated elections set on August 11, 2008 in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. At least 3,150 EVM have been distributed to 23 municipalities in Maguindanao, one of five provinces under the ARMM. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Mark Navales)

COMELEC Lists 10 Things Voters Must Remember For The ARMM Polls

Poll equipment arrive in Mindanao for the August 11, 2008 elections in the Muslim autonomous region. The Commission on Elections listed 10 things for voters to remember in Monday's polls. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Mark Navales)

COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / August 6, 2008) - The Philippines Commission on Elections Chairman Jose Melo listed down ten things voters need to remember for the August 11 automated elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The poll body said Melo advised the more than 1.5 million registered voters in the ARMM to keep in mind the following:


10. If you’re voting in Maguindanao, remember that you will be using the direct recording electronic voting system. All you have to do to vote is to press on the picture of the candidate you wish to vote for.


9. If you’re voting in Shariff Kabunsuan, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu or Tawi-Tawi, remember that you will be using the optical mark reader based technology. This means that you will be using a paper ballot but you will NOT write the names of the candidate of your choice. All you have to do is shade in the oval next to the candidate’s name. Shade the oval completely!


8. Illiterate and disabled voters can be assisted by a relative within the 4th civil degree of consanguinity or affinity; a trusted member of the voter’s household; or the Chairman of the Board of Election Inspectors. However, with modernized voting, we believe that literacy will not be an issue.


7. In both systems, over-votes will not be allowed. In case of an over-vote, only the vote for the over-voted position will be invalidated. The rest of the ballot will be counted normally.


6. On election day, voting begins at 7 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m.


5. Check your precinct assignments early! If you can, use the Precinct finder on the COMELEC website – http://www.comelec.gov.ph/


4. Review the procedure of voting. If you’re voting in Maguindanao, all you have to do is press on the image of the candidate you want; If you’re voting in Shariff Kabunsuan, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu or Tawi-Tawi, simply fill in the oval next to the name of the candidate of your choice.


3. Don’t forget to indicate your gender and age bracket on the OMR ballot, or on the touch pad.


2. Review the campaign – weigh the pros and cons of each candidate and prepare a list of candidates you intend to vote for.


And lastly is for the electorate to go out and vote.


The poll body said it is ready for Monday's elections and that at least 3,150 Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) have arrived in the ARMM and would be distributed to different destinations in 23 municipalities in Maguindanao.


Maguindanao is the only province in the ARMM which will be using the Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) technology during the automated elections. Other provinces will be using the Optical Mark Reader (OMR) system. (Mark Navales)

Pierce Brosnan, Vanessa Redgrave Win Mindanao Polls

MANILA, Philippines (July 20, 2008) - At a mock balloting held at the main headquarters of the Philippines' Commission on Elections, at least 20 bloggers voted for actor Pierce Brosnan for ARMM Regional Governor over mock candidates Kevin Costner, Leonardo di Caprio, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Al Pacino and Sharon Stone.

On the other hand, Vanessa Redgrave won as Regional Vice Governor, beating Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Micheal Jackson, Tom Jones, Jennifer Lopez, Brian McKnight and David Pomeranz.

The bloggers, mostly students and young professionals, got to see first-hand the automated voting and counting machines that will be used in next month’s automated elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“We invited bloggers because we believe them to represent a significant part of the general public that wants to be informed about the most recent developments in election automation,” said COMELEC spokesman and education and information chief James Jimenez.

A blogger himself, Jimenez said blogs can be a powerful medium to share knowledge with the electorate, especially the youth.

Muslim Voters Prepare For Automated Polls In Muslim Mindanao

Elections personnel teach Muslim voters in the Muslim autonomous region on how to use automated poll machines. The Philippines’ Commission on Elections says it will Direct Recording Electronic Technology in the August 11 regional polls. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Mark Navales)

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) assured the public that the automation of the 11 August 2008 elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will not disenfranchise the voters despite concerns about illiteracy in the region.

COMELEC Spokesman and Education and Information Director James Jimenez said “automated elections are actually designed to make it easier for voters who have low literacy levels.”

Smartmatic-Sahi Technology spokesman Vince Dizon, for his part, explained that the automated voting machines have been designed to make voting easier especially for disabled and illiterate voters. “It is faster and easier to use the automated voting machines than it is to write the individual names of candidates on the ballots,” he added.

Avante’s Project Manager Leo Querubin, meanwhile, emphasized that ease of voting was a major feature of ballots for optical mark reader machines (OMR).

“Unlike in the previous elections, where the voter would have to write the names of their chosen candidates, this time, voters have to simply shade the circles beside the candidates’ name,” Querubin explained.

Querubin added that they have enlisted the help of the Association of Private Colleges-ARMM to help them in the voters’ education campaign. “That way, we would be able to reach the grassroots areas in the five provinces that we would be deployed,” he said.

Jimenez further said that a comprehensive plan to educate the voters, the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) and the local election officers on the operation of the machines has been developed jointly by the COMELEC and its technology providers, Smartmatic-Sahi Technology and Avante International Technology. Both technology providers will conduct intensive municipal-based voters’ orientation programs staring July.

“Avante and Smartmatic-Sahi will conduct actual machine demonstrations, show tutorial videos and distribute instructional flyers on the voting procedures to educate the ARMM voters,” he said.

Avante’s OMR technology will be fielded in the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Shariff Kabunsuan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi; while Smartmatic-Sahi’s Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) system will be deployed in Maguindanao.

Some 1.7 million registered voters from the ARMM will elect a new Regional Governor, a new Regional Vice-Governor, and new Regional Legislative District Assemblymen.

Photo: COMELEC Executives Brief Journalists On ARMM Automated Polls

Leonardo Leonida, (left), Elections Commissioner-in-Charge for Shariff Kabunsuan Province, Moslemen Macarambon, (center), Commissioner-in-Charge for Maguindanao Province and lawyer Teopisto E.Elnas Jr., (right), the Acting Regional Elections Director in the Muslim autonomous region give details about the training for the teachers on how to operate the automated machines in preparation on the August 11 election in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao during a recent command conference in Cotabato City. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Mark Navales)

12,000 Troops, Cops To Guard Polls In Muslim Autonomous Region

Sulu provincial employees led by Gov. Sakur Tan attend a flag raising ceremony in Patikul town. Tan leads Tuesday, July 8, 2008 the inauguration of the newly-renovated Commission on Elections (COMELEC) just besides the Capitol Building. COMELEC Commissioners Rene Sarmiento, Lucenito Tagle, Nicodemo Ferrer were in Sulu to inaugurate the elections office whose P5-million funding came from the Sulu provincial gpvernment, says lawyer Vidzfar Julie, the deputy regional elections chief. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

SULU, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 8, 2008) – More than 12,000 policemen and soldiers will be deployed in the Muslim autonomous region to guard next month’s elections.

Police and military assured the August 11 polls in the autonomous region will be clean and peaceful. “We see peaceful elections ahead. We have enough security forces to guard the polls,” Elections Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer told the Mindanao Examiner.

Ferrer, together with Commissioners Rene Sarmiento and Lucenito Tagle, held a command conference with police and military in Sulu province.

Before the conference, the trio, accompanied by lawyer Vidzfar Julie, the deputy regional elections chief, met with Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan and inaugurated the COMELEC provincial office in Patikul town.

Tan also brought the COMELEC officials and their assistants to different beaches and led a tour of the Mount Datu, which overlooks several towns of Sulu.

Julie said the more than P5 million was spent for the renovation of the elections office.

Sarmiento said the renovated COMELEC office is the most beautiful in the Philippines and praised the support of the provincial government. “Our COMELEC office is like a little Malakanyang,” he said, referring to the Presidential Palace.

The old COMELEC office, just besides the Provincial Capitol Building, was dark and small, but now boasts of glass and marble designs and several huge rooms and new furniture and air conditioning system.

Tagle, who is assigned to supervise the elections in Sulu, one of six provinces that comprise the Muslim autonomous region, said the COMELEC is ready with its computerized polls.

“We are ready with the computerizations of the elections in the autonomous region. Everything is now in place and we hope these elections will be clean, honest and peaceful,” he said.

The other provinces under the autonomous region are Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur and Shariff Kabunsuan.

Two technologies will be implemented in the automated elections in the autonomous region -- the Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) system and the Optical Mark Reader (OMR) system.

COMELEC educators and representatives from technology suppliers, Smartmatic-SAHI and Avante International, have conducted actual trainings on the usage of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and automated counting machines (ACMs) in the provinces.

The DRE system uses touch-screen or touch-pad technology and is fully automated from voting to counting and final transmission of results to the canvassing centers at the provincial and regional levels. OMR technology, on the other hand, requires voters to fill out a paper ballot which is scanned by specially designed machines.

Smartmatic-SAHI will implement the DRE system in Maguindanao while Avante International will provide OMR technology for the other provinces. (Mindanao Examiner)

Arroyo Names Two New Poll Commissioners

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 2, 2008) - Philippine President Gloria Arroyo appointed two new members of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), government media reported on Wednesday.

It said Arroyo named a former court of appeals judge Leonardo Leonida and another judge Lucenito Tagle as new COMELEC commissioners.

No other details were made available by the government about the new appointees. (Mindanao Examiner)

Remove Elections Office In Zamboanga, Mayor Tells Poll Body

Norie Unas shows the certificate of candidacy of Muslim autonomous region Governor Zaldy Ampatuan, who is seeking reelection set in Augsut 11, 2008. (Mindanao Examiner Photo/Mark Navales).

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / June 3, 2008) – A southern Philippine mayor has urged the government to remove from Zamboanga City the headquarters of the Commission on Elections for the Muslim autonomous region for fear that the presence of opposing politicians could bring about troubles and security problems.

Mayor Celso Lobregat fears that opposing politicians could pose a problem in Zamboanga City. He called on the poll body to transfer its headquarters in areas covered by the Muslim autonomous region. “Zamboanga City is not even part of the autonomous region,” he said.

The Muslim autonomous region is composed of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao, Maguindanao and Shariff Kabunsuan provinces, including the cities of Lamitan and Marawi in the southern Philippines.

Lobregat made the calls after dozens of armed policemen and soldiers escorted Norie Unas, who represented Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan, of the Muslim autonomous region, in filing the politician’s certificate of candidacy on May 29 in Zamboanga City.

Ampatuan was not able go to Zamboanga City because he accompanied President Gloria Arroyo who visited Tawi-Tawi province. Ampatuan, an ally of Arroyo, is seeking reelection which is set on August 11.

The security escorts, armed with automatic weapons, were also spotted outside a hotel where Unas’ group was billeted. Unas’ group also caused a huge traffic jam outside the elections headquarters near the Zamboanga City International Airport, witnesses claimed.

But Vidzfar Julie, deputy regional elections chief, said the Commission on Elections is a Constitutional body and is not under the Muslim autonomous region. “We are not under the Muslim autonomous regional government and we will continue to hold office in Zamboanga City unless the Commission of Elections in Manila tells us to transfer,” Julie told the Mindanao Examiner.

The presence of a huge number of armed security forces from the autonomous region had worried many officials in Zamboanga City. Local politicians usually go around with only one or no bodyguards at all, while government officials from nearby provinces bring only two or three uniformed security escorts.

Followers of warring politicians from the Muslim autonomous region had previously clashed in Zamboanga City. (Mindanao Examiner)

Sulu Vows Support To COMELEC, Poll Reforms

SULU, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 28, 2008) - Sulu Governor Sakur Tan has pledged to support efforts by the national government for poll reforms and transparency, including the modernization of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).

He said the COMELEC has been in the forefront of clean and honest elections and the computerization of polls in the country, especially in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to which Sulu belongs.

Tan said they closely coordinating with the COMELEC for the registration of voters in the August elections in the ARMM and to ensure peaceful and honest polls.

Romeo Brawner, former Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals, is the current COMELEC chairman.

"We are supporting efforts of the COMELEC for clean and honest elections and the computerization of polls in the country or at least in the ARMM," Tan said.

Tan said he was impressed with Brawner's plans for the COMELEC which includes the Implementation of Republic Act 8436 as amended by Republic Act 9369 or the Automated Election System Project, particularly the proposed automation of the August 2008 ARMM polls.

He said Brawner, in his 10-point agenda for COMELEC, pledged to carry out new general registration of voters and also the cleansing of list of all registered voters; improvement of the judicial functions of the Commission and a thorough revision of the COMELEC Rules of Procedure.

Brawner said there should be an institution of a system for the raffle and assignment of poll-related cases and speedy disposition of these cases; review of the COMELEC organizational structure; increase in the salary and compensation package of COMELEC employees and the institutionalization of programs and activities for human resource development.

Brawner is also proposing for the institutionalization of a health and welfare package and program for COMELEC employees and to strengthen ties with other election stakeholders, according to Tan.

He said the COMELEC is also working to enhance voters' education and information campaign and other infrastructure projects needed by the poll body. (With a report from Nickee Butlangan)

2 Men Seized In Southern Philippines

COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 13, 2007) – Unidentified gunmen seized two people on Thursday in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, officials said.

Officials said the two were driving a jeep in the town of Patikul when gunmen flagged down the vehicle and seized them. The gunmen also took the jeep.

The identities of the two men were not immediately known, but Brig. Gen. Ruperto Pabustan, commander of army Special Forces in Sulu, said the victims are workers of Mayor Munib Estino, of Panglima Estino town.

The motive of the abduction is still unknown, but Estino is an influential politician in Sulu. It was unclear whether the abduction was connected to a feud or not or has anything to do with special elections on Saturday.

“We still do not know the motive of the abduction or who was behind it. Our soldiers are tracking down the perpetrators,” Pabustan told the Mindanao Examiner.

He said a homemade bomb also exploded before dawn Thursday in front of the house of lawyer Vidzfar Julie, regional deputy elections chief, in Indanan town. The attack had killed no one, he said.

Julie was not in the province at the time of the attack.

The bombing came just two days ahead of special village and youth elections in Sulu and seven other provinces in Mindanao. No group or individual claimed responsibility for the bombing, but authorities suspect the blast had something to do with the polls.

The blast was the second in recent week in the province. A bomb was also detonated December 9 in front of the office of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in Sulu’s Patikul town.

Julie, a former poll supervisor in Sulu, is now the chief of the COMELEC in the Muslim autonomous region.

Elections in May failed in some towns in Sulu because of the presence of gunmen and many teachers tapped as poll officers did not report for work due to threats to their lives.

Others refused to work because of non-payments of their salaries since early this year by the Department of Education in the autonomous region. (Mindanao Examiner)