“The good thing is that Killers and Despots Congregate Mostly in Manila and wouldn’t know where to find the rest of the country,” says voter. Voting is a time when we can get some pocket money.
by Melissa Hemingway Feminine-Perspective Magazine staff writer.
Among the Duterte Hugpong slate is the retired head of national police responsible for killing thousands of drug users, now named before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for serious allegations of mass murder; and former dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ daughter.
Photo Credit: Presidential Photo (Official) Ace Morandante
Photo Art: Rosa Yamamoto FPM.news
The Photo and its story: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, a man for the people, delivers his speech during the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) miting de avance at the jampacked PhilSports Multi-Purpose Arena in Pasig City on May 11, 2019.
Reports of violence and harassment in Lanao del Sur, prompted President Rodrigo Duterte in Saturday to say he might visit the province and deploy more troops if the situation does not improve prior to Monday’s election. He said “his government, the police, and the military remain neutral in the conduct of this month’s midterm elections.“
President Duterte said candidates are limited to two protective security details who should come from the Philippine National Police (PNP). They may not carry long guns, only side arms.
Photo Credit: Philippines Official Presidential Photograph
Photo Art: Rosa Yamamoto FPM.news
Philippines’ Rodrigo Duterte Votes: He says, “It could be taken as one referendum. So that if you agree with me, then you can vote for my candidates or the people I am supporting this election.
“Now, if I am repudiated by the loss of all candidates coming from the Hugpong slate, then that would indicate that the majority of the people…ayaw nila ako (they don’t like me).”
Meanwhile Catholic Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos in the Philippines has expressed displeasure over the rampant and open buying of votes during this year’s midterm elections in the Catholic Church’s newsletter to parishioners.
Vote buying is indeed open election crime and for the poor people in the Provinces of the Philippines where some 75 million Filipinos live, its a matter where even 50 PH pesos decides if the person eats or not that day. “Voting is about getting some pocket money. If the whole family votes, it adds up,” responds one voter whose name is witheld on agreement by FPM.news
Photo Credit Simeon Celi Jr.
Photo Art: Rosa Yamamoto FPM.news
President Rodrigo Duterte, when asked about the reports of rampant vote-buying prior to the conduct of Monday’s election, said buying votes has been an integral part of Philippine elections.
He went on to blame “the communists”.
“For as long as the Philippines remains to be a poor country, for as long as the feudal system exists, lalo na sa rural areas, aggravated by the communists, ‘yon.” PND
Bishop Blows Quiet Whistle on Prolific Philippines Vote Buying
Despite the risk of being killed, the Catholic clergy in the Philippines has become more outspoken about the lack of democratic process and the murders in the Philippines.
The presidential palace has repeatedly fired back with attacks on the sex-crime reputation of Catholic clergy. The Philippines Catholic Church seems to have a stranglehold on the country where the majority of people say they are Catholic. Sex offenders have a bulwark of protectors and like most sex crimes in the Philippines, are never prosecuted.
Cynically, Bishop Gerardo Alminaza said he’s starting to believe that some politicians and rich people “don’t really want to alleviate people from poverty so they can always control them”.
That is a widespread consensus among Filipinos who are filled with fear of outspokenness but more are beginning to speak out.
The Bishop says he is worried. “I’m having doubts how truly free and informed are the votes cast and how reflective or indicative of the people’s will are the results,” he said.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) admitted that vote buying incidents in this year’s polls were worse than the the election that elected Duterte. Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon admitted Monday that the amount of bribe in exchange for votes has increased.
Widespread reports of an election full of technical hitches related to vote-counting machines (VCMs) making mistakes opens the entire process to questions like those asked about Venezuelan Nicholas Maduros reelection in May 2018, but officials here in Manila shake it off saying , “it is always like this”.
Current poll leaders: (courtesy abs-cbn Follow the candidates’ links for more.)
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| 1 |
VILLAR, CYNTHIA (NP) |
24,426,491 |
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| 2 |
POE, GRACE (IND) |
21,356,957 |
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| 3 |
GO, BONG GO (PDPLBN) |
19,800,755 |
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| 4 |
CAYETANO, PIA (NP) |
19,091,447 |
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| 5 |
DELA ROSA, BATO (PDPLBN) |
18,197,948 |
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| 6 |
ANGARA, EDGARDO SONNY (LDP) |
17,561,580 |
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| 7 |
LAPID, LITO (NPC) |
16,419,509 |
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| 8 |
MARCOS, IMEE (NP) |
15,326,641 |
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| 9 |
TOLENTINO, FRANCIS (PDPLBN) |
14,905,664 |
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| 10 |
BONG REVILLA, RAMON JR (LAKAS) |
14,118,024 |
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| 11 |
PIMENTEL, KOKO (PDPLBN) |
14,108,739 |
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