CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel)-Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental have yet to receive formal reports but they have observed indirect campaigning prior to the campaign period in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections which started on Thursday, October 19.
Namfrel-Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental chairperson Nestor Banuag Jr. said they have seen some candidates in this city and Misamis Oriental posting campaign materials on social media which were noticed by netizens.
CANDIDATES in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in Cagayan de Oro City recite the integrity pledge during the signing of a covenant in Kiosko Kagawasan, Divisoria, Cagayan de Oro, on Saturday, September 16. (Franck Dick Rosete)
There were also candidates, Banuag said, who showcase daily good deeds in their social media accounts to the community.
Physically, Banuag said they have observed that candidates had been joining local officials in their speaking engagements. “They are not the ones who introduce themselves, but our local officials endorse them,” Banuag said on Wednesday, October 18.
Banuag said these observations cannot be subjected to further investigation since there are no witnesses who can attest to these. He said people want to ensure that they are protected.
Namfrel said in a media forum on September 13 that they will use their online reporting system where concerned citizens can submit their reports via a link about possible election fraud, premature campaigning, and other election-related violations. Submitted reports are subject to verification.
Banuag said witnesses should establish and provide strong evidence while they are at the scene as Namfrel will do its best to facilitate the report, emphasizing the people’s right to complain and right to report.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) here has said that they could not monitor possible election offenses daily especially on social media and called on stakeholders to participate by informing them of violations to enable them to follow the proper procedures in addressing these.
Read: https://mb.com.ph/2023/9/13/can-t-monitor-premature-campaigning-in-bske-cagayan-de-oro-comelec
Police Major Joann Navarro, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao (PRO-10), assured that security will be provided to those who report possible election offense once they are threatened with death or bodily harm.
“We encourage everyone to help our PNP officers on the ground by giving information or by being with us in our stand against those who want to corrupt the election so that we can come up with an honest, fair, clean, and peaceful election,” Navarro said on Thursday, October 19.
Banuag urged voters not to be fooled by tricks and “huwag maging bobotante (don’t be a stupid voter),” stressing that voting is not just a right or a chance but a responsibility.
“For everyone, be careful and always work together. A clean and genuine election for all, for development,” Banuag said, urging candidates to follow the policies and be role models in the community.
On September 16, BSKE candidates in this city pledged to follow the rules and signed a covenant for safe, peaceful, and orderly elections on October 30, and vowed to "renounce defamation, violence, intimidation, spreading of incorrect information, false influence, and fraud."
Read: https://mb.com.ph/2023/9/16/bske-bets-in-cagayan-de-oro-sign-covenant
The PRO-10 convened a nationwide multi-sectoral peace assembly for the BSKE at the regional headquarters in Camp Alagar, Barangay Lapasan, this city, on October 16.
Comelec-10 Director lawyer Renato Magbutay urged police to ensure that voters can freely exercise their right to vote without fear or threats as they have the responsibility to provide security throughout the electoral process.
PRO-10 Director Police Brig. Gen. Ricardo Layug Jr. ensured that “the upcoming BSKE 2023 is a testament to democracy, conducted in a spirit of fairness, free from violence, and representative of the true will of the people.”
As of October 9, the PRO-10 recorded three election-related incidents in the Northern Mindanao region.
Navarro said all three cases were recorded in Lanao del Norte – two kidnapping incidents and one case of conflict between two candidates for barangay captain.