i-site’s 2007 Election Files

ANOTHER team of foreign observers from Asia has been deployed in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to observe the elections in the region’s six provinces.

Accredited by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the team of 21 international election observers from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia is part of the election observation mission coordinated by the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), in collaboration with the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and six partner Muslim civil-society organizations.

This brings to three the number of international observer missions in the country monitoring the May 14 elections. Sixteen foreign observers are taking part in the mission organized by the Compact for Clean and Honest Elections (Compact) deployed in various election hotspots to document and report election-related fraud and violence.

Thirty more foreign observers are with the International Mission Against Electoral Fraud and Violence convened by groups led by the United Church of Christ of the Philippines. They are now in 13 areas in eight regions where the probability of electoral fraud is high.

The ANFREL team has been in the country since May 5 and whose members are now deployed in each of the six ARMM provinces. The team is led by Ms. Somsri Hananuntasuk, director of ANFREL and board member of the Thai Action for Democracy in Burma (TACDB), and Mr. Mukhtar Ahmad Ali, executive director of the Pakistan Center for Peace and Development Initiatives and executive council Member of the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). The observer mission is supported by The Asia Foundation and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

Elections in Muslim Mindanao have always been suspect. In the 2004 elections, votes in ARMM were key to ensuring Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s winning margin of 1.1-million votes over chief opposition candidate Fernando Poe Jr. The region was responsible for 17 percent of Arroyo’s total votes obtained in Mindanao.

Five of ARMM’s provinces — Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao — also figured prominently in the wiretapped conversations between Arroyo and elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano that provided clues to the manipulation of election results, particularly through the infamous dagdag-bawas (vote-padding and shaving) allegedly ensured Arroyo’s victory.

On May 15, a day after the elections, ANFREL will hold a press conference at the Estosan Hotel in Cotabato City. It will issue its final statement on the elections in ARMM from Cotabato City and Manila.

Asia’s only regional observation body, ANFREL is hopeful that all political parties and candidates as well as stakeholders will work for a credible election in a smooth and efficient manner.

“All observers desire that the people of the Philippines will experience positive political development through a peaceful elections,” the group said in a statement.

ANFREL also expressed its appreciation to the Comelec for its “efforts in preparing the crucial election, administering the process, and accrediting international observers to observe in the country.”

It likewise commended civil-society groups like the PPCRV, National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) and Institute for Political and Electoral Reform (IPER), and local organizations throughout the country, encouraging them to “exercise their rights and play their role through monitoring the election in order to lead the country and champion democracy.”

For the mission’s pre-election observations, the foreign observers are focusing on the following issues:

Effectiveness of synchronized electionsSince electoral system and its process are different from other countries, observers would like to see how effective it is to have synchronized elections in a single day. How does the Comelec in all levels facilitate the voters and implement the electoral laws and regulations? Are there any improvement from the previous elections regarding the prevention of electoral violation, technical problems, voter education and civic education etc.?

Electoral violence

All measures should be taken to prevent electoral violence before, during and after the polling day. We hope all candidates, party leaders, party agents and supporters cooperate with each other and Comelec to ensure peaceful and smooth running election processes.

Neutrality of government officials, police and military, and other community and religious leaders

ANFREL observers will watch in the ARMM provinces to see if government officials, police and military as well as community leaders and religious leaders are able to be neutral. Candidates must not be allowed to utilize state facilities and human resources. Comelec should enforce the laws to punish those who violate election rule and law.

Culture of corruption

To eliminate the culture of corruption from the grass roots level, candidate must have a sense of self esteem by not giving money to voters for vote buying. Candidates should gain their popularity by their legitimate activities and long-term work for people.

Illiterate and new voters

Illiterate voters and new voters should be informed about the process of election and the candidates in their constituencies as well as be encouraged to go out to vote.

Credible election results

ANFREL hopes to see the clean outcome and no manipulation of the electoral result for this election. It calls on all stakeholders to adhere to the principle of genuine democracy and the reputation of the country.