Showing posts with label vote-buying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vote-buying. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon Double registrants, impostors, and flying voters removed from voter’s list in Bicol



In preparation for the coming 2010 national election, the Commission on Eleection (COMELEC) has started removing names of double registrants, impostors, and flying voters which compromise the integrity of the election. To make the election credible, in Bicol, about 200,000 of such voters have been excluded from the voting list according to Atty. Zacarias Zaragoza, Comelec’s regional director.

“Camarines Sur had the highest number registered voters that actually voted with 615,477; followed by Albay with 503,032; Masbate, 308,556; Sorsogon, 282,335; Camarines Norte, 174,625, and; Catanduanes 109, 577. “---Bicol Mail (07/23/09, Barcia, R.B.)

It is observed that young citizens eager to exercise their right of suffrage are registering in huge numbers. If they continue to list themselves before the national election, the Bicol region is expected to have 2.8 to 3 million eligible voters at the time of national electon.

But the need for cleansing of the voter’s roster is obvious. Each election, complaints of fraud have brought doubt on the reliability of the political exercise which leads to quarrels, sometimes resulting to violence.

A stolen election isn’t a good foundation for a successful public service. It’s a quick pathway for graft and corruption. Cheating brings down the trust of the people and inhibits the progress of the entire nation. (Photo Credit: WorldNews/ Janice) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Barry (Not The Manilow)


Just before the May 2004 elections, I paid a visit to a friend who was connected with an agency under the Department of Agriculture (DA). Asked him, "What's up?". "The DA is giving away fertilizers. The foliar kind at that. In summertime. Wala namang nagtatanim (Nobody is planting)".

I shot back, "So?" "Parang pambili ng boto. Madaling ipamigay". (It seems it would be used for vote-buying. Easy to distribute.)

"Antaas ng porsiyento sa opisyales (A big percentage of the amount will go to the officials). 30 to 40%". "Yung mas mataas ki Cito (Lorenzo) ang nagpapatakbo (The one more powerful than Cito is running the show). Si Bolante".

Cito Lorenzo was then the Secretary of Agriculture. He comes from the prominent (in agribusiness and politics) Lorenzo clan. It struck that an Undersecretary is more powerful than the Secretary na kung saan yung Secretary di naman simple ang pinagmulan (the Secretary was well-born). And that was my introduction to the man who has a funny given name.

A year later, I again paid a visit to my friend. "What's up?". "I will have a visitor. Si Barry. Bagman ni JB". That's the first time I heard the name of the man named after a Rizal character. This time there are already talks about a fertilizer scam and then Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. was starting his investigation.

Later I read Barry was covered by Gloria's "executive privilege". That was before the Supreme Court half-struck it down. Later I read the guy was already a vice-president in the Government Insurance Service System (GSIS). I said to myself, "What a rise!".

Now it turned out that all he had was a Physical Education (PE) degree. When division managers in the attached agency are already required to have PhDs.

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