MIGRANTE International
May 13, 2022
COMELEC and Smartmatic must be held accountable to the widespread electoral fraud!
Reject the return to power of the Marcoses & Duterte!
Massive fraud was imminent! Weeks before the start of overseas voting in April 10, Filipino migrants already reported deliberate lack of preparations from the Comelec specifically the issue of undelivered ballots due to incorrect mailing addresses as reported by migrant leaders in Canada and the US; non-inclusion of registered voters in Australia; limited and defective vote counting machines in Hong Kong and other countries; inaccessible voting places in the Middle East; and ineffective means of communication from the foreign posts to their constituents.
Disenfranchisement of overseas voters was clearly premeditated by the Duterte administration with the low budget allotted to overseas voting and the lack of Comelec officials to watch and check reports of violations at the polling places reported by volunteers.
Worst of all, disenfranchisement of local voters on May 9, 2022 was unprecedented! This includes late opening of polling places and voters had to request for extension of time in order to cast their ballot; absence of electoral board; chaotic list of registered voters; red-tagging of progressive candidates and partylist groups; massive vote-buying especially from the provinces where each municipality allegedly received one million pesos. Not to mention the more than 1,800 VCM broke down without replacements.
Despite these glitches however, the Comelec reported early election results that clearly set an unbelievable record of landslide victory for the Marcos-Duterte team. How this came about with such efficiency cast a doubt on the transparency and credibility of the Comelec Commissioners composed of President Duterte’s appointees.
Overseas Filipinos were closely monitoring the turnout of election in the Philippines and in dismay on how Marcos-Duterte votes suddenly shoot up even just few hours after the VCM’s started to consolidate the vote cast while other precinct still accepting voters.
We demand accountability of the members of the Commission on Elections as well as the Smartmatic company owned by Duterte’s crony. We cannot allow this shameless insult to the integrity of the electoral exercise of the Filipino people.
We call on our compatriots at home and overseas to reject the swindlers of our votes. Let us stand united to defend the honor of our country and fight these new dictators who are in conspiracy with the political dynasties and oligarchs whose goals are mainly to earn billions of profits.
We have proven during the campaign period that we are a nation of selfless and generous people who are ready to help the marginalized without expecting anything in return. Let us continue as a movement for system change – to alleviate people from abject poverty, widespread unemployment, historical revisionism and lack of genuine health care system to name the few which is also the root causes of why Filipinos are forced to work and migrate in other countries in order to survive.
It is of utmost importance that we Filipinos must continue to hold on to the light of hope. We call on our Kababayan to come together and voice out our dismay on how the electoral system in the country is becoming more frustrating, being controlled by those in power and strengthening political dynasty in the country.
Let us not forget the legacy of Marcos Sr.- 26 years of Martial Law that plunged the country into foreign debt while amassing ill-gotten wealth and perpetrating fascism and human rights violations. Similarly, Duterte is accountable for his crimes in the guise of drug war and acts of terrorism committed by his NTF-ELCAC operators. Certainly, the new Marcos-Duterte administration will continue the legacy of their parents which is another six years of misery for the Filipino people.
We overseas Filipinos are fighting back! We are one with the organizers of Black Friday Protest at PICC demanding Comelec for its accountability to the massive electoral fraud. Once more, we call on our Kababayan to join us in the black Friday protest and in our call to say no to Marcos-Duterte! ###
