Fact Sheet: Vote padding in Hong Kong

FACT SHEET ON DISCREPANCY OF BALLOTS AND COUPONS/STUBS  

by GABRIELA WOMEN’S PARTYLIST – HONG KONG 

CASE:  

(1) Discrepancy on Number of Ballots being counted and the Stubs/Coupons with Voters’ Thumb marks

(2) Refusal of SBEI chairperson to receive and sign election protest from pollwatcher

DATE and TIME:  May 14, 10:30 pm, Precint No. 25

CASE DETAILS: 

(Case 1) At around 10:20 pm, we received reports from our pollwatchers that the SBEI chairperson of Precint 25 at the Bayanihan center in
Hong Kong, decided to continue counting the ballots assigned to them even though there is evident discrepancy in the number of ballots and stubs with thumbmarks.

The number of ballots given to them was 500 but the number of stubs with thumbmark only counted 390. There is a very large discrepancy of 102 stubs

A pollwatcher from CIBAC protested the discrepancy and our pollwatcher also logged in the protest form at the SBEI minutes. However, the SBEI chairperson in Precint 25, Ms. Lelita Lastima decided to continue with the counting.

During the break, the SBEI chairperson explained that this situation is “normal” and has happened also in 2004. The reason she gave was that (a) all votes cast in HK were divided into sets of 500 to old and additional precints for counting. Originally, there were 22 voting precincts but now there are 38; (b) the discrepancy can be attributed to stubs which were not transferred from one ballot box to another due to difficulty in identifying which stub is for what ballot.

The SBEI chairperson asserts that the ballot box only has 398 voters, therefore 398 thumbmarked stubs, but then their precint received 102 additional ballots from another ballot box or precint.

(Case 2) Upon filing of the election protest, the SBEi chairperson refused to accept the protest and said that they are “not authorized” to accept protests from pollwatchers.

When the CIBAC pollwatcher wrote their protest in the Minutes of the SBEI lower portion (space reserved for protests), the SBEI chairperson refused to sign. The Gabriela pollwatcher, Ms. Nieves Tumabaga, then noted a protest that the SBEI does not want to accept protests from pollwatchers.

Both election protests are still unsigned until now in the Minutes of the SBEI.

Our coordinator confronted the OAV secretariat regarding this matter. The representative of the OAV secretariat explained that their instructions to the SBEI in each precint is that in case protests are made by pollwatchers, they should ask the pollwatcher to put into writing the nature of the complaint and file it to the OAV secretariat.

We have already filed the protest and submitted it to the OAV secretariat.

References:    

Esther Bangcawayan, Secretary-General, Gabriela – Partylist HK / (852)97111673

Eman Villanueva, Secretary-General, UNIFIL-MIGRANTE-HK / (852) 97585935

Oplan Mercury Rising

Please check out the site:  www.sundalo.bravehost.com for more info regarding the existence of the Oplan Mercury Rising. 

This is the plan bared by retired generals last week.  Information posted on this site reveals a list of specific areas where massive electoral fraud will be committed.   It also identifies election supervisors and directors who were instructed to ensure defensor, zubiri and pichay are ranked in the top three in their areas.

The expose regarding oplan mercury rising also reveals that local government and comelec officials were offered huge cash incentives to deliver a 12-0 vote for tu with a bonus if cayetano gets a zero vote. 

military commanders were also instructed by afp chief of staff esperon to ensure 12-0 result in their areas of responsibility where canvassing will be conducted.

this is in addition to earlier exposes that say army personell were instructed to vote only for tu candidates and were even guarded by superiors to ensure they followed this order.

grabe.  sobra na  malinaw na sa paglapit ng may 14, ang pinaghahandaan po natin ay ang pagsalag ng mamamayan sa massive and systematic electoral fraud and violence that arroyo and her lackeys will surely commit.

 bantayan ang balota!  bantayan si gloria! 

Around 140,000 OAV ballots diverted to “private couriers”

MigrantsWatch.Net
migrantswatch.wordpress.com

News Release
May 9, 2007
For reference: Maita Santiago, MigrantsWatch.Net Spokesperson (0928-306-7278)

An electoral watchdog focusing on the overseas absentee voting polls today expressed fears over the strong possibility that the OAV ballots sent by mail will be used for massive cheating by the Arroyo administration.

“The OAV by mail is extremely prone to tampering. The fact that there are also thousands of Return to Sender (RTS) ballots that will diverted and re-sent through ‘private couriers’ heightens this likelihood,” says Maita Santiago, Migrants Watch Network Against Electoral Fraud and Violence (MigrantsWatch.Net) Spokesperson.

“There are two envelopes in the OAV by mail process, an inner and outer envelope. To cheat, one only has to open the outer envelope and switch the inner envelope containing just the actual ballot – and leave behind the detached portion of the ballot with the thumb mark and the signature,” said Santiago.

RTS ballots are ones that were not received by the OFW voters. There are approximately 504,000 OAV voters. According to the anti-fraud group Kontra Daya, about 174,000 ballots were mailed to OAV voters. But of the total mailed ballots, about 80% were marked “return to sender”, amounting to almost 140,000 ballots.

An urgent letter by the Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting Chair Florentino Tuason to the Philippine Postal Corporation’s Regional Director Muara Baghari-Regis says that RTS ballots will be sent back to the COAV in Manila and re-sent using “private couriers”.

A copy of the letter, dated April 23, was obtained by the government employee’s group COURAGE and its anti-fraud arm Kawani Kontra Daya. A copy is posted on the website of Kontra Daya at kontradaya.wordpress.com.

Voting by mail was expanded from three countries in 2004 to more than 60 countries this year.

“The Arroyo regime has a ‘grand scheme’ for electoral fraud and violence. Along with the political killing, repression and harassment of opposition groups, progressive partylists and the people – it includes the outright manipulation of election results. Thus, the tampering of OAV ballots is extremely plausible,” said Santiago.

The MigrantsWatch.Net has coordinators in various countries including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, Japan and Italy.

“We remain vigilant against all attempts to manipulate the will of the people through the rigging of the polls, especially overseas. We remind Arroyo that history is on the side of the people when it comes to exposing and ultimately overthrowing fraudulent and fascist regimes,” concluded Santiago. #

Issue Analysis No.7, Center for People Empowerment in Governance

Issue Analysis No.7Series of 2007

Fraud, 2007

Fraud recycles the political dynasties and keeps them in power. It breeds generations of cheaters, corrupt politicians, mediocre executives, bribe takers, absenteeism in Congress. It is part of the lifeblood of bureaucrat capitalism.

 

By the Policy Study, Publication and Advocacy (PSPA)
Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG)
 

May 8, 2007

excerpt:

Last week, the Arroyo administration’s Team Unity (TU) and the Genuine Opposition (GO) traded charges and counter-charges in connection with the latest surveys showing that fraud particularly vote-buying will take place in the coming May 14 elections. Two public opinion surveys, conducted separately on March 18-23 and April 14-17 by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), revealed that 40 percent of Filipinos expect the government to cheat in the elections while 70 percent expected vote buying to take place in their areas. TU leaders dismissed the surveys, especially the first, as fabricated accusing SWS of selling out to the anti-Arroyo opposition.

The results of the surveys should not be a surprise at all considering that elections ever since this republic was born – or even before that – have always been marred by fraud. Fraud, such as vote buying, distributing sacks of money to local politicians and poll officials, dagdag-bawas (vote padding and shaving), ballot snatching, fabricating election returns (ERs) and certificates of canvass (CoCs), violence and other types, takes place in any election, on all levels and by both pro- and anti-administration candidates. More stinking, however, is that it is usually the incumbent administration that commits it with all audacity and impunity.   

Fake OFW partylist caught buying votes in Davao

Proof of votebuying by fake OFW partylist Kalahi

Please check out this link to see how Kalahi is buying votes by giving away movie tickets and insurance plans.  The email was sent by an anonymous Davao City resident.  

This fake partylist group is one of four named in a confidential Malacanang memo exposed by the Gabriela Women’s Partylist recently.  The GWP filed disqualification charges against these groups with the COMELEC last week.   

Kalahi’s second nominee, Atty. Carlo Nograles, is the son of House Majority leader Boy Nograles.   Katulad ng kanyang partylist, peke din po ang pag-upo ni Atty. Nograles bilang nominee dito.  Hindi po siya galing sa sektor ng OFW kaya wala siyang karapatan na maging nominado.

Bahagi ang kanyang nominee sa mga na-expose ng instances ng “partylist nominees for sale”.  May mga ulat po na binenta kay Atty. Nograles ang 2nd nominee spot sa halagang milyon-milyong piso.

Pandaraya ni Gloria…Tutulan, Labanan!

Gabriela dominates OFW exit poll; other TU-commissioned poll results dubious

News Release / May 6, 2007

For reference:  Connie Bragas-Regalado, Chairperson (0927-215-5392) 

Gabriela dominates OFW exit poll in HK 

Taking its cue from the results of an independent exit poll by a local Hong Kong paper, an alliance of organizations composed of OFWs and their families expressed confidence that the Gabriela Women’s Partylist will lead partylist elections among OFWs and their families. 

The exit poll by The Sun was conducted among nearly 600 OFW voters outside the Bayanihan Center polling place on April 15 and 22, the first two Sundays of OAV voting. Gabriela came in first with a total of 240 votes while CIBAC was a far second with only 21 votes.   “We’re certain that OAV voters and their families will vote for Gabriela because it has a long track record of fighting for the rights and welfare of OFWs both inside and outside Congress.  It is the consistent voice in the House for those OFWs, especially women migrants, who can’t be at home,”  says Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante International Chairperson. 

Among the resolutions filed by Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza are ones that call for investigations into the anti-migrant new POEA Guidelines for Household Service Workers;  the abuses under Canada’s Live-in Caregiver Program;  the rape and unsolved murder cases of OFW domestic workers and the allegations of corruption surrounding the billion peso OFW Trust Fund at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. She was also at the forefront of the creation of the 2003 Anti-Trafficking in Women and Children Act.  Other partylists that received votes in The Sun exit poll were Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Ahon Pinoy, Batas, Buhay and Abante Ilonggo and An-Waray. 

GO bets lead same exit poll:  9-2-1 

In the same exit poll, Genuine Opposition bets also took 9 spots in the Magic 12 leaving only two for Team Unity and one for Independent candidate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.  The top 12 in The Sun’s exit poll are:  Loren Legarda (GO) in 1^st with 427 votes;   Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan (Ind) in 2^nd with 310 votes;  Manuel Villar (GO) in 3^rd with 290 votes;  Allan Cayetano (GO) in 4^th with 273 votes;  Ralph Recto (TU) in 5^th with 262 votes;  Ninoy Aquino (GO) in 6^th with 258 votes;  Panfilo Lacson in 7^th with 232 votes;  Koko Pimentel (GO) in 8^th with 214 votes;  Edgardo Angara in 9^th with 205 votes;  Francis “Chiz” Escudero in 10^th with 189 votes;  Sonia Roco (GO) in 11^th with 187 votes;  and Nikki Coseteng in 12^th with 168 votes. 

“These results mirror other surveys and even the results of Global Mock Senatorial Elections held by Migrante.  In this light, the other exit poll in HK that shows Team Unity taking 8 spots is highly doubtful.  The dubious results of the Team Unity exit poll may well be part of Arroyo’s ‘grand scheme’ to manipulate election results in her favor,”  said Maita Santiago, MigrantsWatch.Net Spokesperson. 

MigrantsWatch.Net is a network of OFWs, their families and their advocates committed to exposing cases of electoral fraud and violence – especially in the OAV polls. 
 

Santiago also noted that Migrante’s mock elections held April 8 to 15 also gave GO candidates 9 spots out of 12 with only one going to Team Unity and two to independent candidates.  The exit poll commissioned by Team Unity surveyed 200 OFWs and was conducted April 15 to 29 in the Philippine Consulate by a “private firm”.   

The MigrantsWatch.Net maintains an on-line journal for reports about cheating and violence in the elections.  It can be found at https://migrantswatch.wordpress.com #           

 

OFW electoral watchdog maximizes internet to report cases of fraud

 

 

News Release

May 5, 2007

For reference:  Maita Santiago, Spokesperson (0928-306-7278)

 

OFWs and their families can now monitor and report cases of electoral fraud and violence on the internet through a special on-line journal set up by the new OFW electoral watchdog, Migrants’ Watch Network against Electoral Fraud and Violence or Migrantswatch.net.

 

 

“Through the on-line journal, we will monitor, report and expose cases of irregularities, fraud and violence – especially in the OAV polls.  This is part of our effort to ensure that along with casting one’s ballot, we’re vigilant in ensuring it’s counted,”  says Maita Santiago, Migrantswatch.net Spokesperson and Migrante International Secretary-General. 

 

“Already, alarming cases such as the harassment of progressive groups and non-arrival of ballots has been cited,”  she added.

 

According to Santiago, members of the United Filipinos in Hong Kong and Gabriela Women’s Partylist-HK Chapter reported instances where the RP Consulate prevented their members and pollwatchers from entering a polling precinct even though they carried proper accreditation.

 

“Given that Arroyo’s ‘grand scheme’ to cheat and thwart the entry of progressive partylist organizations in Congress extends overseas – we are especially concerned with ensuring the protection of votes cast for the partylist elections,”  said Migrante International Chair, Connie Bragas-Regalado.  She also noted that  the popular Gabriela Women’s Partylist, which includes OFW concerns in its agenda, is among those targeted by the Arroyo regime.

 

Migrantswatch.net coordinators abroad include OFW leaders Jones Galang in South Korea, Dolores Balladares in
Hong Kong, Gi Estrada in Taiwan, Butch Pongos in Japan, Cyrine Pinpin in the UEA, Rio Mondelo for
Western Europe and George Kotsakis in Australia.

 

Overseas Absentee Voting runs from April 14 to May 14 and there are approximately 504,000 registered OAV voters. 

 

The Migrantswatch.net site can be found at migrantswatch.wordpress.com #

Migrants Watch Basis of Unity

We are a network of individuals and organizations composed of OFWs, their families and their advocates.  We pledge to exert all efforts to ensure the genuine votes of the people – especially our sector, are counted and heard in the 2007 Elections.

 

Given the recent expose of confidential Malacanang papers linking Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the creation and funding of fake partylists, we believe that the machinery and intent for massive cheating in the year’s polls exists.

 

As such, we commit to monitor, report and expose cases of irregularities, electoral fraud and violence. 

 

Through our vigilance, we aim to contribute to efforts that ensure the true will of OFWs, their families and the Filipino people are forwarded beyond the ballot box.  #