Poll cheating could trigger civil war

By Jomar Canlas Reporter James Konstantin Galvez and Ruben D. Manahan 4th (The Manila Times)
Link:http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/13185-poll-cheating-could-trigger-civil-war

Civil war could erupt if massive cheating would mark the May 10 elections.

The warning was made on Thursday by the only son a former president in reaction to allegations that the recent appointment of a new military chief by President Gloria Arroyo was part of the administration’s plans to cheat in the polls less than three months away.

“It’s going to be chaos if voting in the May elections will be marred by widespread fraud. If in previous elections we saw only demonstrations and rallies, this time around civil war could erupt,” Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of Ilocos Norte said.

One of the three children of Ferdinand Marcos, whose strongman rule was ended by a popular revolt in 1986, Bongbong called on the Commission on Elections, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to ensure that the next president will be the real choice of the majority of Filipinos.

The May 10 balloting will pick the successor to the President, whose nine-year stay in the presidency ends on June 30.

Bongbong also warned that the people would not allow a repeat of the allegedly fraudulent 2004 presidential elections, which opposition standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr. lost to incumbent President Arroyo.

“The situation right now is different. This is [Mrs. Arroyo’s] last term and we need to have a new leader who is truly elected by the people. It would be unacceptable if the new leader won through cheating,” he said.

Bongbong, a senatorial candidate of the Nacionalista Party (NP) in the May polls, called on the public to remain vigilant against attempts to declare a failure of elections that he said could provide the President opportunities to keep herself in power.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile also on Thursday allayed the fears raised by the Ilocos Norte congressman and other Arroyo critics that Bangit’s real mandate was to ensure the failure of the elections so that Mrs. Arroyo could rule indefinitely.

A senatorial candidate of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) led by former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, Enrile called rumors the accusations against Bangit.

“That is just a plot by those who wanted to spread fear among our people. It’s unfair to Lt. Gen. Bangit for people to spread rumors like that and besides I don’t think they can stage a failure of elections with more than 84, 000 counting centers,” the Senate president said during an interview at the residence of former House Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella of Camarines Sur province. Enrile and other NP candidates campaigned in the province also on Thursday.

The Senate president said that any plot to make a mockery of the May polls purportedly involving the new Armed Forces chief has not been uncovered, saying, “I have never heard anything about Gen. Bangit [being linked to such scheme] in his military career.”

Enrile added that other members of the Armed Forces might be responsible for the misleading reports on Bangit.

Bangit is a member of the Philippine Military Academy’s “Makatarungan” Class of 1978, which counts the President as an honorary member.

The standard-bearer of Bangon Pilipinas in the May 10 polls also on Thursday said that they are bothered by Bangit’s appointment.

He appealed to members of the military and the police to stay true to the Constitution and not to allow themselves to be used by any politicians in the polls.