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“Red baiting is a different level of negative campaigning. It poses risks to those who are red-tagged and might result in extrajudicial killings.”

By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com

Election watchdog Kontra Daya called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate reports of partisan activities of elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Kontra Daya received reports of death threats, harassment and red tagging of Makabayan party list groups and their supporters from all over the country.

The most brazen, according to Kontra Daya Spokesperson Danny Arao, was the distribution of the PNP’s newsletter at Geronimo Elementary School in Sampaloc, Manila tagging Bayan Muna and Kabataan Partylist as communist fronts.

“The reports are very alarming,” Arao told Bulatlat. “They’re [PNP] supposed to be non-partisan. Comelec should investigate these complaints,” he added.

The PNP’s Police Community Relations Group (PCRG), in its Twitter account, denied that the newsletter being distributed constitute black propaganda.

The PCRG even posted a link of the publication.

Arao, also a journalism professor at the University of the Philippines (UP), noted that a report in the PNP’s newsletter claims that subversive documents and high-powered rifles were seized along with campaign materials of Bayan and Kabataan Partylist.

This, Arao said, is red baiting.

“Red baiting is a different level of negative campaigning. It poses risks to those who are red tagged and might result in extrajudicial killings,” Arao said.

Earlier: Tarpaulin na na may nakalagay na “Huwag Iboto, kalaban ng gobyerno” at mga pangalan ng mga progresibong Partylist na kritiko kay Pangulong Duterte ang nakasabit malapit sa voting precincts sa Sta. Rosa City. #BantayBotoST#KontraDaya#VotePH2019 pic.twitter.com/zIyAitHZ3N

— STeXPOSURE (@steXposure) May 13, 2019

Jose Mari Callueng, Karapatan paralegal and Kontra Daya volunteer, pointed out that the police violated the Omnibus Election Code and Civil Service Commission’s resolutions.

Section 261 (i) of the Omnibus Election Code (Intervention of Public Officers and Employees), states, “Any office or employee in the civil service, except those holding political offices; any officer, employee, or member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, or any police force, special forces, home defense forces, barangay self-defense units and all other para-military units that now exist or which may hereafter be organized who, directly or indirectly, intervenes in any election campaign or engages in any partisan political activity, except to vote or to preserve public order, if one is a peace officer, shall be guilty of an election offense.”

The Omnibus Election Code prohibits unlawful electioneering it defines as soliciting votes or undertaking any propaganda on the day of registration before the board of election inspectors and on the day of election, for or against any candidate or any political party within the polling place and with a radius of thirty meters.

Meanwhile, CSC Memorandum Circular (M.C.) No. 30, s. 2009 cited publishing or distributing campaign literature or materials designed to support or oppose the election of any candidate; directly or indirectly soliciting votes, pledges, or support for or against a candidate, among others, as partisan political activities.

CSC Memorandum Circular No. 9, series of 1992 also prohibits posting and distributing of campaign materials, leaflets, banners and stickers designed to support or oppose the election of any candidate; utilizing properties, supplies, materials, and equipment of the government for political purposes, among others.

Callueng said negative campaigning can be considered a partisan political act.

The Karapatan paralegal said Comelec has jurisdiction over these cases.

“Comelec should investigate and penalize the violators,” Callueng said.

Administrative cases may also be filed with the Ombudsman against police officers violating the election code.

Kontra Daya also received reports of police and military presence within the 50-meter radius of polling precincts.

Government employees found guilty of engaging directly or indirectly in partisan political activities may face a penalty of one month and one day to six months suspension for the first offense; and dismissal from the service for the second offense, according to the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service.

(DISCLOSURE: Danilo A. Arao, a convenor of Kontra Daya, is also the associate editor of Bulatlat.)

The post Comelec urged to probe police’s partisan activities appeared first on Bulatlat.

When Bayan Muna members and Kontra Daya volunteers asked the police handing out the newspapers, the police said, “Wala kami alam d’yan, media yan. Basta pinamimigay lang namin.” (We don’t know anything about that, it’s media (sic). We just distribute these.)

By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — Elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were seen distributing copies of an issue of a tabloid-type newspaper Pulis Serbis to the voters in front of three big primary schools in Sampaloc hosting polling precincts on election day. From its front to backpage, the PNP newsletter features articles and photos that slander and call for the death of progressive people’s organizations and partylists. The PNP described these organizations as “legal fronts” and “political parties supporting the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army (CPP/NPA).”

“This is infuriating and unfair,” said Teodora M. Tañola, 85. A member of Bayan Muna Partylist, she just finished casting her vote in another precinct when she was handed a copy by a policewoman in front of the Moises Salvador Elementary School. She immediately called the attention of volunteers of Kontra Daya, which has a tent near the three adjoining elementary schools of Moises Salvador, Gen. Licerio Geronimo and Trinidad Tecson.

At the back the newspaper shows a cartoon of tombstones of CPP funding chairman Jose Maria Sison, surrounded by tombstones of partylists and organizations such as Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Kabataan Partylist, Makabayan, ACT, Courage, Kadamay, KMU, Anakbayan, Katribu, Migrante, among others.

These newspapers were also reportedly already brought inside the polling precincts in the said schools before the attention of election watchdog Kontra Daya was called. Bayan Muna members protested the distribution of the paper to voters coming in droves to the schools.

Supporters of candidates, they said, were forbidden from distributing leaflets near the schools, yet, the policemen were freely slandering progressive groups and candidates right in front of the polling precincts. The three schools serve a combined voting population of 24,503.

A copy of the newspaper identifies Police General Oscar D. Albayalde as chairman of the Editorial board. Its editorial office listed the “Police Community Relations Group.” But when Bayan Muna members and Kontra Daya volunteers asked the police handing out the newspapers, the police said, “Wala kami alam d’yan, media yan. Basta pinamimigay lang namin.” (We don’t know anything about that, it’s media. We just distribute these.)

“Some of the policemen became angry at us and asked us why they are being stopped from distributing their newspaper,” a Bayan Muna member told Bulatlat.

Weni Marigondon of Bayan Muna said that in the 2013 and 2016 elections, Bayan Muna was also slandered but nobody handed out newspapers to voters like what happened today.

Asked why the policemen were distributing such “newspaper,” the police in the desk in front of Moises Salvador Elementary school told Bulatlat he knew nothing about it. A policeman accompanied Bulatlat to the neighboring police desk in front of the Geronimo Elementary School, where a certain Police Capt. Fuggan denied knowledge of the newspaper. He said they weren’t the source of the newspaper. He directed Bulatlat to the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame.

“Historically, Bayan Muna has a strong showing in elections here,” Tañola told Bulatlat.

Working as a vendor servicing students and teachers of these elementary schools, she said the sidewalk vendors know fully well who Bayan Muna is. “Their services for us and the people have been tried and tested.”

Rey Martinez, a PUP student and member of Concerned Students for Justice and Peace condemned the vilification being committed by the PNP. “They are trying to sink the progressive partylists which are all leading,” he said.

In the Kontra Daya national monitoring, volunteers also received reports of similar police distribution of PNP-produced tabloid newspaper in Montalban, Rizal, and in the Francisco Benitez Elementary School in Tondo.

A continuing stream of disinformation against the progressives

The volunteers of Kontra Daya directly observing the conduct of elections in the above three primary schools in Sampaloc noted other “unfair police actions” against them as they support the progressive partylists and candidates.

They pointed to their tent, which has the number 2 + 2 on its roof. Tents of other pollwatchers and volunteers lining the gates of the schools have their own number, but only Kontra Daya tent had been repeatedly visited by the police, and their volunteers questioned.

The police reportedly accused them of committing an election violation because No. 22 points to senatorial bet Neri Colmenares. The volunteers explained the tent number had not been their decision to make, and it’s not 22 but 2+2.

At some point, unlike the other pollwatchers’ tent, that of Bayan Muna had been surrounded by the police.

Even after the altercation, they noticed that the police had been dropping by their tent more frequently and all but ignoring the other tents.

“Almost all of the candidates were handing out leaflets, but only those from us were frequently under the police watch,” the women volunteers of Bayan Muna told Bulatlat.

A Bayan Muna member named Zorayda handed out leaflets to voters. She had positioned herself relatively far from the schools but the police told her off and took her pictures. On the other hand, the police ignored supporters of other candidates who were distributing leaflets close to or right in front of the polling precincts.

Even the volunteers wearing their orange shirts election “uniform” were questioned by the police, who ordered them to wear something else. But the supporters of Estrada who wore the same orange shirts minus the words “#Sulong” in front were allowed to roam the schools freely.

The result, even one of the most assertive Bayan Muna members, Marilou Ibañez, 65, admitted she had been forced to wear another shirt on top of her red shirt bearing the calls #NoToFraud, #NoToRedTagging to evade being at the crosshairs of the police. But, she proudly reverted back to her red #NoToFraud shirt as soon as she could.

The post Police distributes but denies knowledge of ‘newspaper’ slandering progressives appeared first on Bulatlat.

The group in its mid-afternoon report said it has received allegations of vote buying in the provinces of La Union, Bataan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Camarines Norte, Negros Occidental, Aklan, Leyte, Samar, Cebu, Davao, Agusan del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur.

By RAYMUND B. VILLANUEVA
Bulatlat.com

Poll watchdog Kontra Daya said that vote buying remains rampant in today’s elections, a practice that has in fact started as early as January.

The group in its mid-afternoon report said it has received allegations of vote buying in the provinces of La Union, Bataan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Camarines Norte, Negros Occidental, Aklan, Leyte, Samar, Cebu, Davao, Agusan del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur.

Amounts reportedly range from P200 to as much as P4,500.

In Metro Manila, Kontra Daya received reports on vote buying in Quezon and Taguig cities.

Volunteers on the ground described the vote buying as “widespread,” “massive,” “brazen,” and “insulting”, Kontra Daya said.

“There were several reports detailing how vote buying is coursed through their respective barangay officials. Others are reportedly ‘helping’ voters find their precincts in exchange of votes,” the watchdog said.

In Moises Padilla town in Negros Occidental, police have reportedly arrested those allegedly involved in vote buying.
Among those confiscated are sample ballots with P1,000 each attached.

As many as 28 suspects have been arrested, a separate report sent to Kontra Daya said.

Moises Padilla is under Comelec control following the murders of of reelectionist Councilor Jolomar Hilario and a relative last March 31.

In Samar, vote buying reportedly began as early as January, Kontra Daya said.
(DISCLOSURE: Danilo A. Arao, a convenor of Kontra Daya, is also the associate editor of Bulatlat.)

The post Vote buying remains rampant, poll watchdog reports appeared first on Bulatlat.