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A reprise of the recently concluded reactionary elections - Communist Party of the Philippines Press Release

Sunday, May 23, 2010

A reprise of the recently concluded reactionary elections

Communist Party of the Philippines
Press Release

The recently concluded reactionary elections, seemingly “modernized” with automation, was as rotten to the core as ever. The return to power of the Aquino-Cojuangco clan and its Kamag-anak Inc., through apparent president-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III; the repositioning of the Marcoses–Imelda, Ferdinand Jr. and Imee; the continuing domination of Congress by the Arroyos, now with Gloria Arroyo herself elected congressman; and many more of the like all point to the indictment of the recent reactionary elections as nothing but a big sham foisted by the reactionary ruling classes upon the masses.

Such rottenness reeks down the line with the perpetuation or return to power of big warlord-political dynasties such as the Dys of Isabela, the Singsons of Ilocos Sur, the Ortegas of La Union, the Pinedas of Pampanga, the Jalosjoses of Zamboanga, the Garcias of Cebu, the Dimaporos of Lanao and so on with the usual “guns, goons and gold,” and now electronic cheating.

Despite allout efforts to keep them from winning, a few progressives are expected to gain seats in Congress as representatives of grassroots party-list organizations. Within parliament, they can espouse the patriotic, democratic and other basic interests of the people and help advance the struggles of the people in coordination with the democratic mass movement. They will, however, always be outvoted by the overwhelming majority composed of representatives of imperialist, comprador and feudal interests, especially when it comes to fundamental issues concerning national sovereignty, land reform, national industrialization and the welfare of the toiling masses.

The recent election has resulted only in the perpetuation of the same old, rotten semicolonial and semifeudal system. However deep and intense the contradictions are among the rival political factions of the reactionary ruling classes, they remain one against the Filipino people, especially the toiling masses. They are all puppets of US imperialism and share the same class interests. They deceive the people with lies and empty promises, and apply the coercive apparatus of the reactionary state to suppress those who oppose and fight.

They dominate the elections and make a mockery of democracy and the people’s right to suffrage. Reactionary elections in the Philippines do not actually provide the people with much of a choice, except that between evil and the apparent lesser evil. Most of the time, the apparent lesser evil that gets installed into power soon becomes the primary evil and carries out policies even much worse than before.
The imperialists are abundant with praise for the seeming success of the recent elections. Among the first to congratulate the apparent winner, Aquino, even before his being officially proclaimed, was the newly appointed chief imperialist representative US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr.

US imperialism has long been interested in seeing the apparent success of the reactionary elections with the hope of pacifying the people and achieving temporary compromise among the rival factions of the local ruling classes. It has thus been pushing for the automation of the elections with the hope that its swiftness, apparent efficiency and difficulty in proving fraud would at least make for some credibility. The ultimate objective of the US in this is the stability and preservation of the puppet ruling system for its own interest.

Many were initially awed by the rapid counting of votes and return of results through the newly implemented automated elections. They have long been tired of the tedious, long-drawn and highly contentious manual counting and canvassing of votes with weeks of waiting for the final results. Even critics of the automated elections who foretold of wholesale failures were almost ready to concede as election results rapidly streamed from the COMELEC computers to the media with initially apparent speed and efficiency.

However, information concerning electoral fraud began spilling out soon after, dampening many people’s initial enthusiasm about the automated elections and casting aspersion on its credibility. Claims are now coming out regarding widespread rigging of votes through old and new ways, including the use of tainted flash cards, the pre-shading and switching of ballots, the failure of many PCOS machines and “refeeding” of ballots or resort to manual counting, the jamming of transmissions and many others. There are widespread suspicions of fraud over the flash cards that were hurriedly replaced just a few days before the elections. These have been further stoked by the COMELEC which has ordered the destruction of those flash cards.

The source code of the software used to run the machines has never been made available to the public despite repeated requests for independent public review. Several key security safeguards in the system, such as the ballot verification system, were not applied or were even suspiciously disabled. Transmission dates and time stamps were suspiciously way off the actual election period. Meanwhile, scores of PCOS machines were discovered in a private residence in Antipolo and believed to have illegally transmitted results. Sacks of flash cards, ballots and other election paraphernalia were discovered suspiciously dumped in a garbage site in Cagayan de Oro.

Hearings are now being conducted to look into numerous claims of fraud. It would now appear that all the major parties that contested the recent elections–including Arroyo’s ruling party that is driven by its own sinister agenda of putting the entire process in doubt–are accusing the other parties and even the COMELEC of rigging the elections. These may indeed still snowball and trigger widespread doubt about the credibility of the results, including Aquino’s victory. In the face of evidence of massive fraud and demands to investigate the matter, there are now threats of delay in the Congress’ canvassing of votes and proclamation of winners in the presidential and vice-presidential contests.

Even as it denies dipping its hand in the imbroglio, the Arroyo ruling clique is taking advantage of such developments as part of its tactics. On the one hand, it is a way to put Aquino’s claim to the presidency in question right at the outset and further weaken it all throughout. On the other hand, it is part of its own power perpetuation scheme. With the operators of US imperialism continuing to intercede among the rival reactionary factions and come out with some compromise, the Arroyo camp is now resorting to the sliest of tactics so as not to radically upset the ruling puppet reactionary system with outrightly illegal maneuvers and avoid openly clashing with the wishes and interest of their imperialist master.

As the different rival factions of the reactionary ruling classes continue to jostle against one another, the Filipino people are again being provided a valuable lesson revealing the reactionary class nature and rottenness of Philippine politics. More and more, it becomes clear to the people that they do not enjoy real democracy under the ruling political system, and that the reactionary elections are only there to make them believe that democracy exists. The democracy that the ruling system provides is one that is enjoyed only by the ruling classes of imperialist agents, big landlords, big bourgeois compradors and big bureacrat capitalists who lord it over the downtrodden workers, peasants and other oppressed classes and sectors.

For the people to enjoy real democracy, they must make revolution to overthrow the oppressive puppet state of the reactionary ruling classes. They must replace it with one that is built directly from their strength, especially from the mass of the workers and peasants, on the basis of their national and democratic aspirations. Only under a people’s democratic government can national sovereignty be thoroughly upheld, genuine agrarian reform achieved, national industries built and the other basic interests of the people given guarantee and priority.

As the reactionary elections once again reveal the hopeless rottenness of the entire ruling system, more and more are turning to the revolutionary path with the aspiration of building a liberated, democratic, bright and prosperous future for the country and its people. (Posted By Bulatlat.com)

SourcePhilippine Revolution.net

URL: http://www.philippinerevolution.net/cgi-bin/statements/stmts.pl?date=100522;author=cpp;lang=eng

Diverting the focus EDITORIAL 05/23/2010

Diverting the focus



EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
05/23/2010

With so many pieces of evidence being presented by several candidates — even if they have been deemed to have lost electronically — all of which point to the massive failure of the automated system, for which Smartmatic and the Commission on Elections should be held responsible and accountable, it is puzzling why outgoing Rep. Teddy Boy Locsin and the Comelec commissioners are zeroing in on the masked whistle-blower dubbed as Koala Bear of whom they have made much fun.

Locsin vented his ire at Malacañang, with whom he had slept for so many years that Gloria was in power and position, accusing the Palace of having let loose this masked whistle-blower and threatening to disclose just who in the Palace masterminded this whistle-blower play, which Locsin said was done to destroy the “integrity” of the Comelec.

Integrity of the Comelec? What integrity, when it allowed Smartmatic to do away with all the safety features to ensure fraud-free elections, or, at the very least, ensure that if fraud is committed, this fraud could be traced.
Integrity of the Comelec or the commissioners, when they continue to be evasive, and worse, refuse to follow that which the law states?

Comelec, as well as Locsin, tried to refocus the hearing from the hard evidence of fraud being presented by candidates to a return of the whistle-blower, with Comelec officials claiming that they have “initial” reports that the whistle-blower was let loose by a losing candidate. Who it was, they didn’t say.... MORE  

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100523com1.html



 

Whither the campaign claim? FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 05/23/2010

Whither the campaign claim?



FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
05/23/2010

The whole point of the Filipino people being made to pay P11.3 billion for a one-shot automated election system was to eliminate fraud that nearly tore the nation apart and allowed yet another non-elected president and other lower level officials in the legislative branch of government to sit in office even when they are not seated with the real mandate of the people.

This was one major reason Filipinos, even when presented by a huge election bill, hardly complained, even when they knew the bill would be passed on to them.

As it is now developing, massive electronic fraud has marked the latest claimed state of the art elections, but it seems clear at this point that no one — most of all, Smartmatic, the Commission on Elections and even the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting — is willing to even admit that there was massive electronic fraud, with the Filipino people again stuck with so-called electronically elected officials, who, however, truly do not have the true mandate of the people.

In other words, these same people and institutions are again willing to let the Filipino people tolerate having officials representing them, even when they never had the mandate in the first place.

The point is, if we do not scrutinize all the evidence, and follow through, even if it has to lead to special elections nationwide, we will have, again and again, more and more fraudulent elections, whether automated or manual.
But this is hardly what appears to matter to Noynoy Aquino, who apparently wants to have this over and done with, and for him to be proclaimed very fast by the Congress.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100523com2.html


Balkans sound alarm over disappearing forests FEATURE 05/23/2010

Balkans sound alarm over disappearing forests



FEATURE

05/23/2010
BUCHAREST — Illegal logging and unregulated real estate projects are threatening the Balkans’ once abundant forests, home to more than half of Europe’s bears and to large wolf populations.
To alert public opinion to the looming dangers, national parks in the region will rally this weekend to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity, set a decade ago by the UN General Assembly for May 22.
Albania is one of the world’s countries worst hit by deforestation. Woodlands that covered 51 percent of its territory prior to 1990 have now receded to 25 percent, according to several environmental non-government organizations (NGOs) contacted by AFP.

The Vlora region on Albania’s southern Adriatic coast is a prime example, where 102 hectares (252 acres) of forests were cleared to make room for illegal construction, according to the Albanian National Forest Association.
Even Albania’s national parks such as the Lura, considered a gem of the Balkans with its vast expanse of pine, fir and beech trees, have not been spared by illegal loggers.

While ten times more trees are felled illegally than legally, according to the national statistics institute, no one has so far been tried or convicted for the crime.

Romania, meanwhile, still boasts 300,000 hectares of intact forest, the second-largest woodland expanse in Europe after that in Russia.

But its national parks, too, are threatened. In Piatra Craiului Park in the Meridional Carpathians, nearly 300 hectares of forests were chopped down illegally between 2004 and 2007.

An environmental group called Agent Green recently staged a protest, using huge logs to write the letter “crime” on one of the now bald mountainsides..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100523com3.html


Daniel Pearl’s law BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 05/23/2010

Daniel Pearl’s law



BLURBAL THRUSTS
Louie Logarta
05/23/2010

The United States government and President Obama should be praised to high heavens by members of the Fourth Estate the world over for the passage of a law that would require the State Department to prioritize the monitoring of press freedom violations and to call the attention of the respective governments that condone or turn a blind eye to such transgressions.

By enacting the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act of 2009, it is obvious that Washington DC wants to impress on other governments that it is keeping close tabs on developments that could have a pernicious effect on the interest and well-being of working journalists.

“Oftentimes, without this kind of attention, countries and governments feel that they can operate against the press with impunity. And we want to send a message that they can’t,” Obama was quoted in a Philippine Star report as saying.

The new US law is sure to impact greatly in the Philippines which international media watchdogs have ranked as the “most dangerous place” for media practitioners after such places as Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia and Russia.

And lest the people forget, today, we will be marking the six-month anniversary of the gruesome Maguindanao massacre wherein 57 innocent civilians (including 32 mediamen) were killed by armed goons identified with the Ampatuan clan in election-related violence..... MORE  

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100523com5.html


Thailand’s Reds return to heartland in disarray focus 05/23/2010

Thailand’s Reds return to heartland in disarray



focus

05/23/2010
CHIANG MAI — After a military offensive that crushed anti-government rallies in Bangkok, angry “Red Shirts” are returning to their northern heartland in disarray, with their leaders in custody or hiding.

Hundreds of Reds poured off trains in Thailand’s second-largest city Chiang Mai to a hero’s welcome after staging rolling demonstrations that paralyzed parts of the capital and left 85 dead and 1,900 injured since March.

“I lived in Bangkok for two months. My heart still wants to carry on this fight. This pull back for me is just temporary,” said Wirash, a 43-year-old musician.

The Red Shirt military strategist, a renegade general known as Seh Daeng, was shot in the head by a sniper days before an overwhelming offensive Wednesday that forced the movement’s top leadership to surrender.

“The Red Shirt does not have leaders now. I do not know what to do. The police have caught our leaders,” said Wirash, who gave only his first name. “For now I have no plans to go back to Bangkok.”... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100523com8.html


Comelec impartiality TABLETS OF STONE Larry Faraon, OP 05/23/2010

Comelec impartiality



TABLETS OF STONE
Larry Faraon, OP
05/23/2010
Comelec Commissioner Jose Melo should be more circumspect in dealing with the alleged complaints of election irregularities during the last May 10 political exercise. At the height of this week’s congressional committee on electoral reforms hearing, he sounded obviously defensive as if the automated elections were so impeccable and beyond reproach that no smudge should ever taint the immaculate purity of the automated elections. The way he rebuts the allegations bespeaks of a king who thought that the people would speak well of his clothes, even if he was wearing none!

Comelec must realize that even if the automated elections were conveniently fast and easy, it was less democratic in a sense. 

In a democratic society, the right to vote goes with the right to be counted, and in an automated election the assurance, real or even psychological, that an individual vote has been counted may be lesser, compared to the traditional manual count. That reassuring feeling should be provided by Comelec to the voters by taking electoral allegations of fraud more formally if not seriously.

This is not the way we perceive this independent constitutional body overseeing the conduct of the most basic democratic exercise in this country. We see a Comelec to be an ultra-independent body whose ocular focus is not only on candidates and their respective qualifications, the manner and conduct of the elections, the operational and advocacy linkages, especially with the national and local governments, but most especially on the possible failure of elections either in toto or in specific areas due to massive vote buying, hostilities, violence, disenfranchisement, registration irregularities, canvassing, and illegal proclamation of winning candidates.... MORE  

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100523com6.html


‘Son of God’ VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 05/23/2010

‘Son of God’



VIEWPOINTS
Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz
05/23/2010
This is neither intended to question the claimed and acclaimed numerous prerogatives of someone as the “Son of God” — nor is it motivated to criticize his many millions of followers said to be all over the world.

This is simply meant to bring to fore certain perplexities as well as some inquiries — all occasioned by the following recorded facts: One, the said illustrious figure was approached by a good number of political candidates fondly called “presidentiables,” for his eventual choice and anointing in order to win the recently concluded national elections according to Divine Providence. Two, the same much revered personality himself said that he needed time to first consult his heavenly “Father” for the purpose of listening well to “Him” for proper guidance, knowledge and decision who among the said candidates to officially endorse to his multi-million of followers, particularly in the Philippines. Three, the likewise famous person — the “Son of God” and the beloved of the “Father,” eventually proved wrong — very wrong in his identification and choice of one particular presidential candidate whom he in fact publicly prayed over fervently, as the anointed one.
Without the least desire or design for people to doubt, much less to ridicule the same “Son of God,” reason and logic, however, are seeking clear answer to some plain questions — always with respect for his person and with admiration for his claims before his practically innumerable devotees and followers here and abroad — considering the big and even shameful loss suffered by his chosen and anointed “Presidentiable” — as specifically and concretely revealed to him by his “Father.”... MORE  

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100523com7.html


Speaker: June 30 deadline ‘mere statement of fact’ 05/23/2010

SAYS NOYNOY MISINFORMED ON NO PROC JITTER

Speaker: June 30 deadline ‘mere statement of fact’


05/23/2010

House Speaker Prospero Nograles stood pat yesterday on a joint congressional body to thoroughly go through the Certificates of Canvass for the presidential and vice presidential votes and not sacrificing accuracy for speed despite pressures applied by the Liberal Party (LP) for the quick proclamation of its standard bearer Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino for the presidency.

That he mentioned on or before June 30 as the proclamation date for the new president and vice president was a mere statement of fact, Nograles said. 

Under the Constitution, Congress (the Senate and the House of Representatives in joint session) will act as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) to canvass the votes and proclaim the winners of the presidential and vice presidential race.

Congress has until June 30 from the date of the elections to complete and satisfy its constitutional mandate to act as the national board of canvassers for the two top posts of the land, from the counting to the proclamation of the actual winners.

Nograles denied that his earlier statement that the proclamation may take until June 30 as raising the possibility of a delayed proclamation, saying the potential president Aquino had misinterpreted his earlier statement that “Congress has until June 30 to proclaim the new president of the republic.”

In a statement, Nograles said he was merely stating a fact which should not be misconstrued as he is conditioning the minds of the people there is a possibility the country would not have a president when President Arroyo’s term expires on June 30.

“(Aquino) has been misinformed,” said Nograles. “The statement merely said we have till June 30 to proclaim as our ultimate deadline.”.... MORE  

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100523hed1.html


Aquino is US ‘new puppet’ — militant group 05/23/2010

Aquino is US ‘new puppet’ — militant group


05/23/2010

As far as the group of leftwing fisherfolk alliance is concerned, the well publicized meeting between US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. and presidential frontrunner Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino at the latter’s residence on Times Street in Quezon City was an open declaration that the leading presidential candidate is the new puppet of the United States.

“It is like Ambassador Thomas Jr. telling the people of the Philippines and the international community ‘Hey world President Benigno Simeon Noynoy Aquino Jr. is Washington’s latest political puppet in Southeast Asia. Come on everybody, break a leg and join the fun,” leaders of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), in a statement, said.

According to Pamalakaya national chairman Fernando Hicap, the American ambassador’s meeting with Aquino could also be viewed as marching order to the Philippine Senate and the House of Representatives to rush the proclamation of Aquino and his would be vice president before June 30.

“The US does not want the election protests which stemmed from allegations of automated cheating and rigged elections to escalate and derail the proclamation of Aquino and the winning vice presidential candidate. The operators of Washington, D.C. want the smooth criminals to takeover the seat of power from a former puppet in a smooth transition mode,” he added.

The Pamalakaya official said the meeting of US Ambassador Thomas Jr. with Aquino could be interpreted as White House call for Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Prospero Nograles to give up partisan politics and other narrow political interests to ensure the smooth transfer of the republic from the Strong Republic of Arroyo to the Yellow Republic of Aquino.... MORE  

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100523hed6.html


‘Rido’ breaks out in Maguindanao; 2 dead, 100 families flee fighting 05/23/2010

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Four Cordillera provinces get new governors 05/23/2010

Four Cordillera provinces get new governors


05/23/2010

New governors were elected in four of the six provinces in the Cordillera during the first ever fully-automated synchronized national and local elections last May 10, with three seats left open by incumbents running for other posts.

The Cordillera provinces with new governors are Kalinga, Apayao, Ifugao and Mountain Province with the last three provinces having open seats after their incumbents ran for other positions.

In Kalinga, incumbent Gov. Floydelia Diasen of the administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD lost her bid for reelection to Jocel Baac of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), finishing third in a five-cornered fight behind Baac and Macario Duguiang of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) Diasen had won in 2007 in a sympathy vote after her husband, then Vice Gov. Rommel Diasen, was gunned down while campaigning for governor.

In Congress, however, incumbent Kalinga Rep. Manuel Agyao (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) kept his post against sole rival, James Bearin of the Liberal Party (LP).

In Apayao province, the open gubernatorial seat left by Gov. Elias Bulut Sr., who ran unopposed for mayor of Calanasan town under the Nacionalista Party (NP) was won by his son, incumbent Rep. Elias Bulut Jr., by a landslide over closest rival Ambaro Sagle of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL).... MORE  

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20100523nat4.html


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