JIL National Operation

Bangon Pilipinas just went through its second foray into national politics. At first glance, everything seemed to have ended in disaster. Its standard bearer early on was hostaged to a measly two to three percent survey rating, and the results of the automated quick polls seemingly just confirmed it. The “religious” or spiritual approach to political participation was put on trial, and seemingly the verdict is that faith and politics don’t mix, and they will not work. Worst, the score they gave Bangon’s standard bearer is only half the votes he got the first time around. Appearing to have suffered a direct hit also is the prophetic movement that partly, if not largely, fueled the Bangon fight.

So, the question now is, quo vadis Bangon?

Let us put things in proper perspective:

First of all, even from a purely earthly point of view, casting aside all religious and spiritual moorings, anybody who proposes to reform, overturn, and change the utterly sick Philippine socio-economic-political system will have to begin on a tremendous disadvantage. You enter into a fight disavowing the use of half of the weapons of the fight because precisely you want to change the system. So vote-buying is out, putting barangay leaders on payroll is out, “special ops” to add or subtract votes is out, demolition job on the opponent is out. These are about the most powerful and devastating weapons in the political battlefield, and the reformer lets go of them. For all practical intents and purposes, from the purely pragmatic point of view, the reformer is already a poorly armed warrior even before he gets into the ring.

Political reformers are like revolutionary movements. The oppressed always starts as a severely disadvantaged underdog against the oppressor. All battles for liberation against oppression and injustice do not start fair. But that is why it is called a cause, not just a fight. A cause is greater than a fight. A cause is the resolve of the disadvantaged to undo or overturn a superior oppressive or unjust force which is enjoying all the advantages.

The right of suffrage, which includes the right to vote for our representatives in government, is the centerpiece of our nation’s democracy. Any deprivation, curtailment or limitation of such fundamental right upon any citizen through an election system that fails in meeting the standards for the secrecy and sanctity of the ballot makes the exercise of such right a sham. Furthermore the lack of transparency in the registration and appreciation of the ballot, where the public is unable to effectively monitor, swiftly examine and verify the process for any fraud, irregularity and manipulative conduct, including unintentional errors in the receiving and accurate counting of votes makes any democracy untenable.

In carrying out its mandate under the Constitution the Congress enacted Republic Act 9369, authorizing the Commission on Election to use an automated election system, which among other things, required minimum functional capabilities including the:  (1) accuracy in recording and reading of votes as well as in the tabulation, canvassing, electronic transmission and storage of results; (2) provision for voter verified paper audit trail; (3) system auditability, which provides supporting documentation for verifying the correctness of reported election results and (4) which provides a system of verification that the machine has registered the voter’s choice. The minimum systems capabilities of the AES were intended to secure and protect the sanctity and indestructibility of the ballot. It requires that the voter must be able to verify, without detailed knowledge of computers, whether or not his or her vote as cast is truthfully recorded. Blind and ignorant reliance upon the capability and functionality of an automated system is not enough. The ability to personally inspect and confirm the proper and accurate registratiration of the vote is imperative. Indeed, simply being informed by an electronic display that the voter’s ballot has been registered, without benefit of verification for truthfulness is grossly inadequate.

Bangon Pilipinas Party said it will investigate complaints from members that votes of their candidates were not counted in the last elections.

The Party said that while the automated electoral system has been applauded for the speed at which it generated the result of the May 10 election, “efficiency or expediency in determining electoral results can never compromise or substitute for the sanctity of the ballot which must at all times be protected.”

“We have received alarming complaints from a growing number of voters who attest that their choice of candidates in the May 2010 election have not been properly registered or counted by the PCOS machines. They claim under oath that in the precincts where they voted, the election results show a much lesser number of votes obtained by Bangon Pilipinas candidates than the actual number of votes cast in their favor,” BPP vice presidential candidate Perfecto Yasay said.

The complaints, he said, “could ultimately involve millions of voters. It is a matter of great and urgent national importance not only because it impacts on the right of suffrage of the citizenry, but if confirmed to be true, constitutes a grave threat to Philippine democracy.”

Bangon Pilipinas standard bearer Bro. Eddie Villanueva said he received reports that in many precincts where his supporters voted, he garnered zero votes. He said the party would verify the reports. “We will seek justice for this. Our lawyers will look into this matter,” he said.