Warn of protest actions vs poll body Elite groups press Comelec on manual count

(The Daily Tribune)
Link: http://www.tribune.net.ph/

Insisting that a parallel and manual count at the precinct level would bring about credible elections, an elite group of businessmen, who are mostly identified with the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel), yesterday called a press conference at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City, putting additional pressure on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to allow a parallel count of the ballots in the precinct level.

The press conference was carried live on the Lopez cable network yesterday morning.

There were hints from some members of the group that, apart from coming up with an open letter to the Comelec, massive protest actions will be employed.

Earlier, there was staged in front of the Comelec, the so-called “Jericho” march, which harks back to the biblical Jericho walls that crumbled.

The business groups warned of massive protests to be staged but failed to state whether these would be staged before the polls, or after the polls.

The group, led by the Makati Business Club (MBC), wants a parallel manual count of the May 10 automated polls, stressing that the manual count will usher in credibility and acceptability of the May 10 election results.

Mock polls in Metro Manila deferred; PNP to secure poll machines

By With Reinir Padua (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=569883&publicationSubCategoryId=63


MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is postponing Thursday’s mock polls in Metro Manila to Monday next week.

This was revealed by National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) chairman Jose Cuisia, who said delays in the delivery of ballots and other poll paraphernalia prompted the rescheduling of the mock elections.

“There are also problems in the delivery of the Precinct Count Optical Scan machines,” Cuisia added.

He said the postponement indicated that the Comelec was still unprepared for automated elections.

“They claim that they are ready, yet we are talking only of one precinct and a thousand voters and they were not able to fulfill their commitment,” Cuisia pointed out.

Namfrel asks Comelec to publish poll automation expenses

By Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=569026&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - The National Citizen’s Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) has urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to make public its spending for the automated election system (AES), saying that expenditures have already reached P10 billion, the biggest ever.

In a statement, Namfrel said the Comelec should exercise transparency and accountability by disclosing the funds it has spent for the 2010 elections.

“The budget for the elections has been set at P16.5 billion – P11.3 billion for AES... plus the P5.21-billion appropriation,” Namfrel claimed.

The P11.3 billion is earmarked under Republic Act 9525, specifically as supplemental appropriation for the AES.

Ban Namfrel

from FRONTLINE by Ninez Cacho-Olivares (The Daily Tribune)
http://www.tribune.net.ph/commentary/20100123com2.html

National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) has been asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to be officially accredited as a poll watchdog for it to engage in a manual audit of the results of the automated polls.

Its former ally, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting headed by Ambassador Henrietta de Villa has officially posted its objections to Comelec on the accredition of Namfrel, on grounds that the task Namfrel seeks is a duplication of the PPCRV’s tasks.

Apparently, there is “bad blood” flowing between the two organizations.

Not too long ago, the Namfrel made De Villa its chairman but all to suddenly, she was out of Namfrel and just as suddenly, Joey Cuisia was named chairman to replace her.

Reports said that Namfrel officials asked De Villa to resign, with sources saying that they were getting uncomfortable with her as chairman, citing as reason, her close ties with the Comelec.

Yet they don’t seem to be uncomfortable with Cuisia as Namfrel chairman, despite the fact that Cuisia’s partisanship is much too evident. It became even more evident when a La Salle Alabang presidential forum, organized by Cuisia’s wife, Vicky, deliberately excluded Erap Estrada from the forum.