Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said they cannot proclaim the remaining party-list groups because they are still waiting for the results of the special polls in some areas where elections were earlier postponed.

He specifically cited areas in Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Abra, and Sulu, where special elections still need to be held. He said that about 12,000 to 20,000 votes are expected to be cast in these areas.

He noted, however, that by the time President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III delivers his State of the Nation Address, the party-list representatives would have all been completed.

Aquino will deliver his first SONA in late July.

The Comelec had earlier proclaimed 28 winning party-list organizations, six of whom were awarded two seats each. (PIA-Bohol)

Matud ni Roxas sa iyang pamahayag, buot siyang matuki ang labing dako mga gidaghanon sa boto sa pagka bise presidente nga gi-balewala sa pag-ihap aron sugdan ang tinud-anay ug kompleto nga iphanay agi ug utang niya sa katawhan.

Sumpay ni Roxas, kinsa apo sa kanhi Presidente nga si Manuel Roxas, iya na nga gimandu sa iyang mga abogado ang paghipos sa mga ebidensya aron katun-an ang protesta nga ipasaka sulod sa 30 ka adlaw human maproklama si Binay niadtong Hunyo 9.

Hinuon, midaug ug naproklama na usab ang Presidente sa nasud, kinsa kauban kang Roxas sa partido ug kadugo usab sa mga dagkong apilhedo sa politika nga Aquino-Cojuangco.

In an 11-page resolution, the Comelec ordered the replacement of election officers in Lanao del Sur’s seven municipalities with Comelec lawyers and Philippine National Police (PNP) trainees.

Comelec lawyers will be assigned as chairmen of the Board of Canvassers as well as election officers for the special polls.

At the same time, the Comelec also ordered police trainees from Regions 10, 11 and 12 to be on stand-by in case there would be a shortage of teachers who will serve as members of the special BEIs.

The police trainees will undergo training in the operation of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines and procedures for voting and counting.

Earlier, the poll body declared failure of elections in the seven Lanao del Sur towns after teachers there refused to perform election duties last May 10 due to threats and violent incidents. (PIA-Bohol)

According to Justice Undersecretary Alberto Agra in reports, the DOJ has received a letter from Comelec Chairman Jose Melo asking them to help investigate certain incidents that happened in the past two weeks.

Agra said among those to be investigated are the compact flash cards presented by Quezon City Rep. Annie Suzano, the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines allegedly kept in Antipolo, Rizal, and Cagayan de Oro and the reported taped conversation of Comelec commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer.

“The DOJ will take the lead in so far as the investigation pertaining to Cong. Suzano and the ‘Hello Nico’ tape but PNP will proceed with their investigation of the PCOS machine incidents,” he added.

The National Bureau of Investigation will also be helping the DOJ in verifying the authenticity of the “Hello Nico” tape, which reportedly featured a telephone conversation between Ferrer and Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno about rigging the polls.

The DOJ and PNP are looking to finish the initial investigation for all the incidents by June 15.

In a five-page resolution, the Comelec said that it has rescheduled the elections in Lumba Bayabao, Lumbaca Unayan, Marogong, Masiu, Sultan Domalondong, Tubaran, and Bayang towns in Lanao del Sur; barangays Danapah, Kailih, Bato-Bato, Apil-Apil, Bucalao, Sangkahan, Cambug, and Look Bisaya in Al Barka and barangays Upper and Lower Mahaybahay in Maluso, Basilan; and barangay Poblacion in Gian, Sarangani.

The special polls were initially scheduled on Friday but the poll body said that it needs more time to prepare the logistical, manpower, and security requirements for the conduct of the elections.

Comelec Resolution 8921 says that no voting was conducted in the seven municipalities in Lanao del Sur because the teachers who were supposed to serve as Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) there did not show up on election day. It likewise said that some BEIs in Basilan were not able to perform their functions on May 10.

The Omnibus Election Code gives the poll body 30 days to reschedule polls once the reasons for failure of elections in these areas disappear. (PIA-Bohol)

Commission on Elections (COMELEC) through spokesperson James Jimenez said the poll boady is contemplating on filing charges to Quezon City Representative Annie Rosa Susano for her possession of CF cards, which were supposed to be used in the last May 10 polls.

Representative Susano alleged that the cards were used to rig the Quezon City mayoralty poll results, which made her lose to actor and incumbent vice mayor Herbert Bautista.

Asked by Smartmatic Asia president Cesar Flores where she got the CF Cards, Susano retorted back that it was not her problem but Smartmatic’s.

The Comelec has issued the statement since CF cards were supposed to be kept by authorized persons only.

The matter of the CF cards popped up after the house of representatives conducted hearings in the alleged poll fraud. (PIA-Bohol)

Teodoro, fourth in the ongoing tally of the presidential race, said he wanted a deeper inquiry into the claims of the masked witness in the interest of truth and to remove taints on the credibility of the country’s first automated elections.

“In the interest, therefore, of transparency which is a standard that we cherish in governance, I request all concerned to take the necessary steps in order to determine the truth of the allegations made by the whistleblower because if proven correct, they seriously affect the integrity of the election. If, on the contrary, there is no closure to this controversy, there will always be a lingering doubt on the outcome of the election,” Teodoro said in a statement Friday.

Teodoro has conceded to front-runner Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

The witness, described by Makati Representative Teodoro Locsin Jr., as a “koala bear,” said the votes of Teodoro, Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino’s Joseph Estrada and Bangon Pilipinas’ Eddie Villanueva were shaved to benefit dilaw, or yellow, Aquino’s campaign color.

Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said that it is important to include in the post-election evaluation the compliance and non-compliance of Smartmatic-TIM with the contract so that they will know if they were able to meet all the delivery schedules.

Jimenez said they will check if Smartmatic were able to meet the timetables that they agreed on. This will include the performance of the subsidiary contracts like ballot delivery, ballot box production, ballot box delivery and among others. (PIA-Bohol)

According to PPCRV, only .07 percent of the 43,035 ER’s from clustered precincts showed signs of
irregularities.

PPCRV Chairperson and former ambassador to Rome Henriettta de Villa characterized the 2010 Automated Elections as “generally clean”.

PPCRV chair and former ambassador to Rome Henrietta de Villa characterized the automated 2010 polls as “generally clean.”

“In the midst of the state of speculations, all the accusations that are now being thrown against the first fully automated election that was carried out nationwide, we, together with the majority of Filipinos, still believe that the AES (Automated Election System) must be here to stay,” De Villa said.

De Villa also added that if there were indeed attempts, it was not successfully pulled off.

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