The Observers

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The members of the International Observers Mission 2007 who came to the Philippines to look into our election processes, probably because of the notoriety of such as noted in the international media, have presented their findings and recommendations in press conferences here, and will most likely also report to their home base later.

Although the team members were fielded in different towns and cities during their stay, the incidents or the infractions of our election laws that they have noted reveal that these are not isolated, but are also happening practically in all the places observed.

The main observations of the team focus on violence or threats of violence in many areas, proliferation of private armed groups believed to belong either to politicians or to rebel groups, disenfranchisement of voters considered questionable, blatant violations of election laws, reported cases of vote-buying and the existence of political dynasties.

These are not things that are not already known to us, and which, to the credit of our own volunteer organizations, they are trying hard to prevent. Of this, the visiting team also took notice, but they also noted the difficulties such groups face without the full backing of the government itself.

Some members of the IOM also made comparisons between the manner we hold our election and their own, and have also recommended the adoption of some that they have found to be very advantageous and conducive to a truly free and democratic election. In line with this, one of the things that bothered them is the way our precincts are made up and located so that there is no complete secrecy of the ballot because the voters and the trend can be easily identified.

A team member from an Asian country shared that they pre-empt this by mixing up the ballots cast before counting them so that the voters in a certain area can preserve their anonymity and avoid retaliation or sanctions later.

We have just elected the members of our law-making bodies. Is it too much to hope that they will actually study the team report and consider the adoption of recommendations that will improve our voting procedures and eventually benefit us?*