Exercise maximum tolerance, ensure public order in poll-related rallies, Año tells PNP
By Chito Chavez
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday, May 11, to maintain law and order while exercising maximum tolerance amid threats of election-related protest actions.
In an ABS-CBN report, students and activists trooped to the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on May 10 in protest of alleged electoral fraud and cheating in the recent national and local polls.
Members of the Bayan Muna-Southern Tagalog group said they will try to sustain the protests until the Commission on Elections (Comelec) can explain the validity of the votes despite the number of vote-counting machines (VCMs) breaking down and the poll body’s supposed inaction against vote-buying.
Bayan Muna-Southern Tagalog spokesperson, Casey Anne Cruz, said the group will file a formal complaint against Comelec once it has fully documented the cases of faulty VCMs.
In a message, Año recognized the right of the people to express their sentiments and reactions, but emphasized that the protest actions must be done within the bounds of law and order.’’
In dealing with their grievances, Año urged the demonstrators to file their protests and complaints to the proper authorities ‘particularly to the Comelec.
“The election last May 9 was peaceful and orderly and let us wait for the official proclamation of the winners. After that, we have to respect the voices of the majority and let us work together for the good of our country and people,’’ Año noted.
But in the May 9 polls, there were multiple reports of defective VCMs, alleged ballot-snatching in some provinces and allegations of voters being asked to leave their ballots at the precinct.
Supporters of vice-president and presidential bet Leni Robredo, mostly rights activists, claimed that frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong’’ Marcos Jr. if proclaimed President would rule the country ‘without constraint.’
Meanwhile, the Comelec maintained that the May 9 polls were clean and successful despite some alleged irregularities and some issues that hounded election day.
Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said the election results could not be doubted, even if at least 1,800 vote-counting machines malfunctioned.
There were also various election-related violence in the country’s southern provinces during the national and local elections.
“Tama po (counting of votes) at wala pong kaduda-duda po diyan," said the commissioner in a (The votes counted are accurate and there is no doubt about that),’’ Garcia said. (Chito A. Chavez)