Anda di halaman 1dari 7

THE 2010 ELECTIONS IN ISABELA

MAY 18,2010

IT IS TRUE THAT I ONCE SAID TH/\T THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE MY TOUGHEST FIGHT
EVER FOR THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS IN ISABELA.

FAUSTINO "BOJIE" DY IS NOT THE MOST FP'RMIDABLE OPPONENT AMONG THE DY


BROTHERS, HE IS NOT THE MOST POPUL.f\R , HE IS NOT THE MOST CAPABLE, BUT
THEIR FAMILY IS AT THEIR MOST DESPERAlTETO WIN THE ELECTIONS. SIX YEARS IS
TOO LONG FOR THEM TO BE OUT OF THE CAPITOL AND THEY COULD NOT AFFORD
TO BE WITHOUT POWER FOR THREE MORE YEARS. ON THE OTHER HAND, MY
RUNNING MATE, 3-TERMER CONGRESSMAN EDWIN UY, AND I HOPED THAT IF WE
DEFEAT THE DY AND ALBANO DYNASTIES IN THESE ELECTIONS, WE WOULD HAVE
TOTALLY FREEDOUR PROVINCE FROM THEIR TRANSACTIONAL, TRADITIONAL WAY
I
OF POLITICS AND EVERYTHING IT REPRESBNTS.

DY WAS PROCLAIMED WINNER BiYA MAiGIN OF 3.438 VOTES.

I GOT 271,319,

HE GOT 274,757.

I AM ACTUALLY SURPRISED THAT I EVEN HAD THIS MANY VOTES. DURING THE
CAMPAIGN, I HAD THE FEELlN~7THAT I ~OULD NOT MAKE IT THIS TIME BECAUSE
WHO COULD WIN AGAINST TH61/c

MASSIVE VOTE BUYING

BLACK PROPAGANDA

INTIMIDATION/THREATS?

I WAS A BROADCASTER FOR nfJYEARS, lA GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL FOR 6 YEARS


AND AN ISABELlNO FOR 46 YBARS BUT ill THE IllEGAL, SHAMELESS, CRIMINAL
ACTS THAT THE DY'S AND ALB~~lNO'S DI~ IN THESE ELECTIONS I HAVE NOT SEEN
EVEN FROM THEM. TOTALLY JJNPRECEIDENTED
... THEY OUTDID THEMSELVES A
HUNDRED TIMES OVER. CON9;R'ESSMA~ EDWIN UY AS WELL AS OTHER MORE
VETERAN POLITICIANS AND OBS:ERVERS S~Y THE SAME.
PEOPLE SAY THAT THE 3,438 VPTES BY +HICH BOJIE DY WON OVER ME IS TOO
SMALL IT COULD HAVE BEEN !OVERTURNED. IF ONLY I CAMPAIGNED A L1TILE
TERRORISM/INTIMIDATION AND BLACK' PROPAGANDA, THE 3,OOO-MAI-<GIN
WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THAT DIFFICULTTO COVER.

I SAY, THOSE NUMBERS DO NOT MA ITER. IT IS 3,OOO-PLUSBECAUSE IT WAS WHAT


'1 I

THEY NEEDED TO WIN THE ELECTIONS. THEY NEEDED lO,OOO-PLUSTHEY COULD


HAVE PRODUCED IT. IF THEY NEEDED ]O,OOO-MORE VOTES TO WIN, THEN THAT
WOULD HAVE BEEN WHAT THIEY'D HA~E PRODUCED. THAT'S WHY, THE VOTES
FROM CAUA YAN CITY (WHER:E THE DJNASTY HAVE ALMOST TOTAL CONTROL
OVER SYSTEMS,PROCEDURE AND EVEN PEOPLE) ARE ALWAYS AMONG THE LAST
TO BE SUBMITIED FOR CANVASS. IN EVERY ELECTION, THEY'D WAIT UNTIL ALL
VOTES HAVE COME 1Nl FIND OUT HOW MUCH THEY NEEDED TO OFFSET ANY
MARGIN OVER THEM, THEN THAT WOULD BE PRODUCED FROM CAUAYAN VOTES.
THIS YEAR, VOTES IN TOWNS \/\/HERE THEIR CONTROL IS NEAR- ABSOLUTE, LIKE
ANGADANAN AND ALlCIA, IWERE AL$O PUT ON STAND-BY. THEY MUST HAVE
I
LEARNED THEIR LESSONSWELL !t\1 THE 2OG7 ELECTIONS WHEN THE CAUAYAN VOTES
WERE SUBMITTED MUCH TOO EARLY, HENCE THEY WERE NO LONGER ABLE TO
COVER MY MARGIN OVER THEM IN THE ~ASTTOWN COUNTED, ILAGAN.

AN ANALYSIS OF THE AUDIT l.OG OF THE rcos MACHINES WOULD PROBABLY


REVEAL DISCREPANCIES IN THE RECO~DED ACTUAL NUMBER OF VOTERS WHO
CAST THEIR VOTES AND THE NUMBE~ OF BALLOTS ENTERED INTO THE PCOS
MACHINES AND COUNTED.

FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE DO~E TO ENSURE VICTORY IN THE ELECTIONS,
IT WAS VERY CLEAR TO EVER1(ONE THtT THE DY'S AND THE ALBANO'S WOULD
NOT HAVE IT ANY OTHER WA V BUT WI~. KAHIT BAUGTARIN NILA ANG MUNDO,
HINDI SILA MAGPAPATALO.

THE ISSUEHERE IS NOT HOW MlA.NY VOT/ESWE FAILED TO MUSTERTO BE DECLARED


WINNER. IT IS HOW FAR THE Orl'NASTIES WOULD GO TO GET ANYBODY OUT OF
THEIR WAY AS THEY SETOUT T~)j TAKE rtONTROL OF THE CAPITOL AGAIN. IN AN
INTERVIEW WITH DANNY BUENtl/FE OF JBS-CBN NEWS BUREAU IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE CAMPAIGN PERIOD I SA~O THAT FpR THE FIRSTTIME I SENSED THAT MY LIFE
I

COULD BE IN DANGER, ONE 1li'ING THA/TI NEVER FELTBEFORE.

THEY WERE GIVING OUT Md)N~EY TO EOPLE A FULL TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE
ELECTIONS - IN BROAD DAirti.IGHT, I THE HOUSES OF THEIR ALLY MAYORS
AND/OR BARANGAY CAPTAlr-.J1)AND, IN SEVERAL INSTANCES PERSONALLY BYI

BOJIE DY AND RODIT(]) ALBA O{HIS RUNNING-MATE, THREE-TERM


CONGRESSMAN) THEMSELVE~. PEOPLE WOULD LINE UP EVEN IN THE NATIONAL
2
I

ABOUT IT. THEY ASK FOR AFFIDAVITS. THEY ASK FOR FORMAL COMPLAINTS. THEY
EXPECT PEOPLE TO RECEIVE MONEY AND THEN COMPLAIN? AS EARLY AS
DURING THE FIRSTDAYS OF THE CAMPAIGN, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HOARDED IN
TRUCKS AND BROUGHT TO BODEGAS, RESORTSOR PLACES IN ORDER TO BE
GIVEN P200-P300 PESOS, HAD THEIR PHOTOS TAKEN, GIVEN ID'S AND INSTRUCTED
TO PRESENTTHESE LATER FOR THE SUCCEEDING INSTALLMENTS. ON ELECTION
DAY. MANY OF THESEID'S SURFACED (SPECIALLY IN REMOTE BARANGAYS WHERE
WATCHERS OF OTHER PARTIES WERE PREVENTED FROM ENTERING THE POLLING
PLACES) AND PRESENTEDTO THE:WATCHERS OF THE DYNASTIES. THEY WERE TOLD
THESEID'S WERE NEEDED F01:~THEM TO BE ALLOWED TO VOTE. THE "BOUGHT"
VOTERS CAME WITH COLORLCODED SAMPLE BALLOTS. THE BETTER FOR THE
DYNASTY WATCHERS TO SEE W THEY DID AS INSTRUCTED. IN MANY BARANGA YS,
PEOPLE RECEIVED MONEY Nor .JUSTONCE OR TWICE BUTTHRICE.

IN OUR MAY 1,2010 DEBATE OVER BOMBO RADYO.I DIRECTLY ASKED BOJIE DY

11 OATI NANG ALAM OITO SA ISABELA NA SA GABI BAGO ANG ELEKSYON AY


MAYROON KAYONG MGA T1.0NG GYMAGAPANG AT NAGPUPUNTA SA MGA
BAHA Y SA GABI PARA MAMIGAY NG ~ERA SA MGA BOTANTE. PERO NGA YON,
DALAWANG LlNGGO BAGOI ANG Hjf..LALAN AY NAKAPAGBIGAY NA KAYO
NANG WALANG PAKUNDANGAN, WAMNG KAHIHIYAN. LAHAT NA LANG YATA
NG TAONG MAKASALUBONG NIYO AY BINIB/GYAN NIYO NG PERA. SAAN
GALlNG ANG PERA NIYO - KAY GMA 0 SA JUETENG NA NAMAN?" BOJIE. OF
COURSE, DENIED THAT HE AND RODITO ALBANO WERE BUYING VOTES. THERE
WAS SO MUCH MONEY BEING GIVEN OUT TO VOTERS. THOSE WHO WOULD NOT
GO WHEN THE BARANGA Y G)FFICIALS WOULD CALL WOULD JUST THE SAME
RECEIVE IN THEIR HOMES TH~R MON~ OR KILOS OF RICE. DURING THE LAST
DAYS OF THE CAMPAIGN, TH8Y STILL rAD MONEY LEFT AND THEY WERE JUST
GIVEN OUT LIKE THEREWERE ~G> TOMOIRROW. MONEY WAS BEING GIVEN OUT
AS IF THEY WERE FLYERS.

MANY BARANGA Y CAPTAINS POWN TCDBARANGA Y TANODS THREW ALL SENSE


OF PROPRIETY. CIVILITY AND USGALlTY io THE WIND. THEY STUBBORNLY STAYED
INSIDE THE PRECINCTS, INTIMlh!A.TING T~E PEOPLE WHO THEY ALREADY EARLIER
WARNED AGAINST VOTING;FOR T~E DYNASTY OPPONENTS AND MORE
SERIOUSLY, DIRECTLY CONFR~)NTlNG 0lUR LP WATCHERS. THESE ARE THE SAME
BARANGA Y PEOPLE WHO "'lIRE EMP OYED TO GIVE OUT MONEY TO THEIR
BARANGAY CONSTITUENTS, T~E SAME B~RANGAY TANODS WHO EARLIERSETUP
CHECKPOINTS TO PREVENT I DYNASBT OPPONENTS AND VOLUNTEERS FROM
PENETRATING THE BARANGAY~qTO CA PAIGN. THESEARE THE SAME BARANGAY
OFFICIALS WHO HAVE BEEN ISSUED FIR ARMS DESPITETHE GUN BAN AND WHO
USED THE SAME TO FIRE AT \d>UR VEHI'CLES AND AT OUR PEOPLE,INCLUDING
LAWYERS AS IN ONE CASE IN ll.lCIA TOWN AND A METHODIST PASTOR AS IN THE

3
SOME THREEWEEKS BEFORE THI: ELECTIONS. MAY 10,2010 COULD HARDLY HAVE
BEEN EXPECTED TO BE THE DAY f=OR FREE,iORDERLY AND PEACEFUL ELECTIONS IN
ISABELA.

THE STAGE WAS SETFOR THE ELECTIONS TO BE IN THE CONTROL OF THE DYNASTIES
t

AS EARLY AS THE TIME WHEN DILG SECRETARY RONALDO PUNO AND PNP CHIEF
JESUS VERZOSA NEVER GAVE IMPORTANCE TO OUR REPEATED CALLS OF
CONCERN ON THE ASSIGNMHH OF COL JIMMY RIVERA AS PNP PROVINCIAL
DIRECTOR OF ISABELA. I CAN EVEN SAY tHAT RIVERA'S PRESENCE IN ISABELA IS
;

A DELIBERATE MOVE TO ENSUF~ETHAT THE DY'S AND THE ALBANO'S COULD DO


ANYTHING THAT THEY NEEDED TO DO, SPECIALLY EMPLOYING VIOLENT MEANS,
i

TO WIN THE ELECTIONS. I'VE SAID IT BEF<DREAND I' LL SAY IT AGAIN, AS FAR AS
ISABELA IS CONCERNED PNP GENERAL VERZOSA'S OPLAN HHOPE" FOR HONEST,
ORDERLY AND PEACEFUL ELECTIONS IS A LOT OF BULL.

AUTOMATED ELECTIONS - A SUCCESS?

IN ISABELA, WE ALL WONDERED WHY OF ALL PROVINCES WE WERE INCLUDED IN


THE LISTOF THOSE WHO WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE COMPACT FLASH CARDS
TO ARRIVE. IN THE TOWN OF CAUA YAN ALONE WHICH IS THE BIGGEST
STRONGHOLD OF THE DY-NASTY, 22 PCOS MACHINES WERE DEFECTIVE. WE DO
NOT BELIEVE THIS IS JUST A C:)INCIDE~CE. WE LATER FOUND OUT THAT OF THE
30 PROVINCES WHERE THE CF::::'S SUD9ENLY NEEDED TO BE RECONFIGURED IN
THE LAST THREE DAYS BEFORE THE ELE9TIONS, 21 WERE WHERE THE INCUMBENT
GOVERNORS/LEADERS ARE FR~)M THE LIBERAL PARTY.

AS A RESULT, BALLOTS WERB: NOT FED TO THE MACHINES BY THE VOTERS


THEMSELVES, AND CONSIDERI~~G THE AfMOSPHERE OF FEAR AND INTIMIDATION
ALREADY FELT IN THE BARANd;AYS FOR WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTIONS, IT WAS
EASY FOR BARANGAY OFFICIA-L:SAND E~EN TEACHERS TO DO WHAT MUST HAVE
BEEN TOLD THEM.

THERE WERE PRO-FORMA AFi=lOAVITS tH1CH BARANGAY OFFICIALS USED AS


AUTHORITY IN SUPPOSEDLY Asi;ISTING ilSABLED AND ILLITERATEVOTERS.

AND FOR ALL THESE THINGSI THAT THE DYNASTIES HAVE DONE TO MAKE A
SHAMELESS MOCKERY OF OU~~DEMOCIRATIC PROCESSES, BOJIE DY CAN ONLY
WIN OVER ME BY 3A38.

4
i

VOTE BUT NO, I GOT 49.46 % OF THETOTAIl VOTES, HE GOT 50% ANLJ A NUI~ANLt
CANDIDATE GOT .04%.

,
I STILLFEELLIKE A BIG, BIG WIINNER. IMAGINE, 271,319 ISABELlNOS VOTED FOR
ME EVEN IF THEY WERE TERRORIZI:D, EVEN!IF THEIRTRUSTIN ME WAS SHAKEN WITH
ALL THE LIESSAID AGAINST ME, EVEN IF MIf.NY OF THEM ADMITIED TO RECEIVING
. THE HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF PESOS OR KILOS OF RICE THAT THE DYNASTY
PEOPLE GAVE TO THEM.

ALL IS NOT LOST IN WHAT WE j1;EJ OUT T{)IDO IN ISABELA WHEN I FIRSTSTOOD UP
AGAINST THE DYNASTIES EVEN WITH M~ rOLlO-STRICKEN FEET.I AM PROUD OF
MANY OF MY APO ISABELlNOS WHO WITHSTOOD EVERYTHING TO STILLSHADE THE
SPACE BEFOREMY NAME AS THEIRCHOICE FOR GOVERNOR.

i
LAST SATURDAY, MAY 15, A TRICil'CLE DRIVER SAW A TARPAULIN
CONGRATULATING BOJIE DjY AND I ~ODfTO ALBANO WINNERS IN THE
GUBERNATORIAL AND VICE-duBERNAT8RIAL ELECTIONS IN ISABELA. HE THEN
SAID TO A FOREIGNER WHO ~AS TAKING A PHOTO OF THE TARP THAT HE, TOO,
RECEIVED MONEY FROM DY A~J[) ALBA~O ..: BUTSTILLVOTED FOR GRACE PADACA
AS GOVERNOR. HE SAID, THE 9YNASTIESIQNLY WON BECAUSE THEY USED MONEY
TO BUY THE VOTES OF THE PEOA'LE.

FOR A TRICYCLE DRIVER TO EXt'~ESS SUg:H UNSOLICITED COMMENT OR PROVIDE


SUCH INFORMATION, IN BROK~:~~ENGLlJ~' TO A FOREIGNER WITH A CAMERA, IS
FOR ME, ENOUGH BALM TO REtlEVE MY WOUNDED HEART, ENOUGH TO KEEP ME
~ I

FROM SHEDDING ONE MORE TEA.ROR Tf{O AS I WEEP FOR ISABELA. NINE YEARS
AGO, IN 2001, WHEN, AS ANIORDINA~i ISABELlNO, I FIRSTSET OUT TO DO MY
SHARE IN FREEING OUR PROV NCE FR 'Y' THE DYNASTIES, OUR PEOPLE COULD
ONLY QUIETLY WATCH ME WHILE I BOLDLY CAMPAIGNED AGAINST THE
DYNASTIES. I AM SURETHEY SAl ~ SILENT~RAYERS FOR ME BUT MANY WOULD NOT
DARE COME NEAR ME OR TALlq OF SUPfORTlNG ME FOR FEAR THAT SOMEBODY
MAY REPORTTHEM TO THE POWERS-THAT,DY.

NOW, THIS IS 2010. DESPITEEVf.:F


.•.
~Y DESP~RATEMEASURE EMPLOYED TO GET THEIR
VOTES, MORE THAN 49% OF liHE VOTEFS STILL FOUGHT FOR ME. THE TRICYCLE
DRIVER WILL BE ONE OF THE H!~PPIESTPFOOFS OF MY VICTORY - VICTORY THAT
DOES NOT ONLY COME IN H-lE FORM: OF HAVING YOUR ARMS RAISED AS
ELECTION WINNER BUT VICTORI~ OF HAV/NG INSPIRED YOUR PEOPLE TO FIGHT AS
BRAVELY AS YOU 00 NO MAnS:R HOW TERRIFYINGTHE MONSTERS THAT WE ARE
FIGHTING.

5
AND WORRIES ON THE FATE Of GI~ACE PAIDACA, GOVtl<NUI< ut-
i
I~A[jI:LA, 11'1r rtc

2010 ELECTIONS. PLEASE LOG ON TO \!\/2N-"'V,f9C;::~P99K.c.9m search Governor


Grace Padaca, see Notes.

THE DYNASTIES ARE BACK INIISABELA'I ~OGETHER WITH MANY MORE MINI-
AJq BECAUSE OF AUTOMATED ELECTIONS
DYNASTIES IN VARIOUS MUNICIAJ'.A.LlTIES,
THAT ONLY FOCUSED ON THE ~=ASTING ~ND COUNTING OF VOTES NOT IN THE
OVER-ALL CONDUCT OF SANE ELECTIONS IN THE COUNTRY.

THREE YEARS AGO, AFTER I WON MY SECCDNDTERM


, AS GOVERNOR OF ISABELA
(VERSUSANOTHER OF THE DY BROTHERS,IBE.
NJAMIN), AND SEEING ONCE AGAIN,
I '
YES IN 2007, HOW THE ELECTmRAL PRQqESS HAS GOTIEN EVEN DIRTIER, HOW
VOTE BUYING HAS BECOME EVIEN WO RSl=lI WOULD TELL ANYONE WHO'D CARE

TO LISTEN THAT WE SHOULD NOT WAIT /YNTIL JUST THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE
ELECTIONS TO CRAM AND DO OUR 'VOTER'S EDUCATION, TO ENCOURAGE
I :
VOLUNTEERS, TO GATHER OUR YOUNG ~?LLEGE STUDENTSTO PARTICIPATE AND
NOT JUST LEAVE THE POLLWATOHING TCDjA HANDFUL OF SACRIFICING CWL OR
, I
LEGION OF MARY MEMBERS OR MOTHER BUTLERS AND LET ELECTIONS BE
. I i
DOMINATED BY THE WELL PAID MACHINERh' OF TRADITIONAL POLITICIANS.

SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT BG:CAUSE I !AM PHYSICALLY DISABLED, MY MAIN

ADVOCACY IS FOR PEOPLE W'i·~~DISABI~ltIES. OTHERSTHINK THAT BECAUSE I AM


A WOMAN, I ALWAYS HAVE .WOMEN'S CONCERNS IN MIND OR BECAUSE

AGRICULTURE IS MY FLAGSHIP l~ROGRAr IN ISABELA, IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT


THING TO ME. BUT NO, THERg:'lS SOMf1THING MORE IMPORTANT BEYOND OUR

OWN PERSONAL BELIEFSAND ~HAT IS THtT WE ELECT ONLY THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO
LEAD US.

SANA, HUWAG NAMANG MAS)(ADONG MABABAW ANG KALlGAYAHAN NATING


MGA PILlPINO. YES, WITH AUTdMATED LECTIONS, WE IMMEDIATELY CAME TO

KNOW THE RESULTSIN TWO, 1~1REEDA is TIME. HOWEVER, WHAT DID IT DO?
i
WHOLESALE, INSTANT, IIPROGR'l\MMED" IRECONFIGURED" IRREGULARITIES THAT
; i

EASILY DID AWAY WITH THE T~~lJEWILL <pF THE PEOPLE, NOT TO MENTION, THE
UNPRECEDENTED VOTE BUYING; INTIMID.4.fION AND BLACK PROPAGANDA THAT IT
I 6
VICTORY SO THEY WILL ONCE AGAIN RULEPUR LANDS.

RIGHT NOW, EVEN IF IT'S DIFFICIULT,I HA1E TO BELIEVE IN MY OWN MESSAGE .....
THAT NOTHING IS EVER USELESS.WE SHOUIlD NOT GET TIRED DOING GOOD. WE
JUST HAVE TO GO ON. RESULTSMAY NOT COME SOON, RESULTSMAY NOT COME
WHEN WE THINK WE NEED THEM OR IN THE FORM WE WANT THEM, BUTTHEY WILL,

WHEN GOD SAYS IT IS THE RI(:;;HT TIME IFOR THEM, PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN
TOGETHER, OVERFLOWING.

I W1LL CONTINUE TO HELP FIGHTFOR WHAT IS RIGHT BECAUSE LIKE WHEN I FIRST
RAN FOR THE ELECTIONS (EVEN IF I CA~ HARDLY WALK) TO HELP FREE OUR
PROVINCE ISABELA FROM THE DYNASTY, '[STILL DO NOT WANT TO BE JUSTONE OF
THOSE FEELING MAD ABOUT THE BAD TPfI'NGS HAPPENING IN SOCIETY BUT NOT
LIFTING A FINGER AT ALL TO STOP THEM.

I AM WORKING WITH MY LAWYERS AS fiE PREPARE TO FlU


COMELEC. OUR GROUP, KAYA NATlN: A ~OVEMENT FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE
AND ETHICAL LEADERSHIP, Will. CONTINUE TO SPREAD OUR MESSAGE OF HOPE
FOR MORE ISLANDS OF GOOD F;OVER~.NCE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY EVEN
IF MOST OF US HAVE BEE:N j
"PR GRAMMED,
.
RECONFIGURED" TO BE
AUTOMATICALLY DEFEATED.

WE CANNOT GIVE UP. WE WILL /,OT GIVEII,JP. KAYA NATIN!

Anda mungkin juga menyukai