INTERNATIONAL observers who monitored the May 10 automated polls documented many cases of election irregularities in different parts of Maguindanao, including what they described as the “worst case of cheating” in Buldon town.
The foreign observers from the Compact for Peaceful and Democratic Elections (COMPACT) reported massive vote buying and multiple voting in the polling precincts in Buldon, where persons who were not members of the Board of Electoral Inspectors (BEIs) were mostly the ones operating the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines.
They said ballots were “all over the place” and that even unauthorized persons were seen holding them in bunches. Underage voters and even poll watchers were allowed to vote, they added.
The observers reported there was no indelible ink at the polling stations in Buldon and they saw at least 100 people allowed to enter one precinct at the same time. Buldon, a fourth class municipality, is a hotbed of insurgency.
COMPACT, a poll watchdog, said the conduct of voting has also gravely compromised voter secrecy and poll integrity in Barera and Parang municipalities, but “worst is Buldon”.
This team of observers was composed of Pekka Borg from Finland, Tone Tingasgard of Sweden, Niklas Reese and Henning Borchers, both from Germany. There are three other foreign missions from COMPACT, which witnessed the conduct of the elections in Misamis Oriental, Negros, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pasig and Isabela.
Explaining the purpose of their mission in the Philippines, Tone said: “We have some big concerns: 1. Violence during election, 2. Technicalities of the election 3. Hear what Filipinos are thinking of the election from its preparation.”
“Automated election is a very big experiment for the Philippines,” Borchers added. “There’s an active participation – election is on front page news…extremely lively debates.”
Some of the foreign observers were at first hesitant to go to Maguindanao, an election hot spot that has become more notorious after the Maguindanao Massacre late last year. They condoled with the families of the Maguindanao massacre whom they met in General Santos City shortly before election day.
Their fears were not unfounded as some of the foreign observers personally witnessed how a group of armed men opened-fire at the public market polling place in the municipality of Datu Unsay Ampatuan, Maguindanao, sending scared voters scampering away for safety.
While no one was hurt, the polling precincts were forced to close. Police and military personnel arrived to secure the area, backed up by at least two tanks.
Those who witnessed the incident were international observers Billy Franata (Indonesia), Lennart Niemelä (Sweden), Mikko Sauli (Finland), Nan San Kyi (Burma), Donald Goertzen (USA).
Earlier, the group also witnessed a bombing incident in the municipality of Datu Piang.
In barangay Poblacion, Buluan, the same team of observers saw a polling center at the Datu Luminog Pilot Elementary School “in chaos”.
The PCOS machine malfunctioned in clustered precinct nos. 0001A, 0002A, 0003A, 0004A, and 0004B. All the used ballots were piled on top of the ballot box.
The group reported there were only two BEIs manning the poll station, both without proper identification. The voters list was also found tattered.
At least 30 voters were allowed to vote at the same time, with some copying from each others’ ballots, and the others being assisted by a number of people.
The observers also reported that the verification of voters was not implemented so that even voters who were not on the official list were allowed to vote.
“We have been monitoring elections only in Maguindanao and noticed some problems starting with the sealing of PCOS machines, breaking down of PCOS machines, ballot secrecy compromised, procedures not followed, voter intimidation, campaigning within the polling areas, and implied vote buying,” said this team of observers in a statement. – With a report from Danny D. Sabino/Kapayapaan Kapatid Council