maradeca may 2010

10
The automated election system failed to bring change to Lanao del Sur traditional warlord and goon country of Mindanao where violence and a low voter turnout marked the May 10 elections, as they did in the past. The police, military and election stakeholders reported incidents of killings, explosions, abductions and gunfights between opposing camps in this province, which has traditionally been the backdrop of the worst cases of dagdag-bawas (vote padding and shaving), when counting was done manually. But voters in seven towns did not get a taste of the new automated system because teachers failed to show up for election duty as members of the Boards of Election Inspectors amid the climate of fear. A failure of elections was declared in the towns of Masiu, Lumba Bayabao, Lumba Caunayan, Bayang, Tuburan, Sultan Marogong, and Lumbatan because there were no teachers, and in Ganassi where there were no ballots. The various incidents indicate that nothing has changed in Lanao del Sur. The violence, which ranges from verbal abuse to shooting that has been a regular feature of elections in Lanao del Sur and the Autonomous Region in Musim Mindanao (ARMM), even worsened in 2010. It is no coincidence that the province has been a major arena for the production of fraudulent poll results especially in the national vote. It was featured in the “Hello, Garci” scandal, the massive vote-rigging in the 2004 election, with conversations between President Gloria Arroyo and then election commission Virgilio Garcillano recorded on tape. On election day, two people, a 12-year-old boy and the other a 19- year-old girl. were hit by stray M-79 bullets while they were inside a polling precinct at the Tugaya Central Elementary School in Tugaya town. The girl, Aslia Panda, was declared dead at the Amai Pakpak Provincial Hospital at 4 p.m on election day. Salic Ibrahim, head of Citizens Coalition for ARMM Responsible Election (Citizens CARE), said there were no casualties from the bombings, which he said were done by men “who are probably out to harass voters and disrupt the conduct of the elections.” Lanao del Sur got a preview of the intensity of the violence as early as October last year, when a bomb exploded at a voter registration center in Marawi City, killing three people and wounding 20 others. Sources said many of those trying to enlist were would-be flying voters from Lanao del Norte intending to secure registration as Lanao del Sur voters. Each person was reportedly paid P100 as down payment for a promised P1,000, with free food and travel expenses, a big sum for people living in one of the poorest regions of the country. Indeed, previous researches by Mindanews indicate that fraud and violence in Lanao del Sur usually begin during the registration period when politicians and political operators maneuver to pad the official roll of voters with names of “flying voters.” These “flying voters” are usually either non-residents or minors, or voters already registered in other precincts or localities in Lanao del Sur. In 2007, most of the flying voters came from Iligan City, and nearby Misamis Oriental towns while some were from Ozamiz City—a mix of Maranaos and non-Maranaos—hauled into the precincts in jampacked trucks. This election is no different. Lanao del Sur governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. disclosed that his camp estimated the province’s number of registered voters to be padded by more than 150,000.Total registered voters in Lanao del Sur for the May 10 polls, as of March 17, 2009, was 459,012. A Mindanews research after the 2007 election showed that the number of registered in Lanao del Sur had shot up to 396,913 that year, from the 275,720 three years before, an increase that was statistically impossible. Old-style violence in Lanao Sur despite automated polls continue to page 3 Official Publication of Maranao People Development Center, Inc. Vol. 5 No. 4 March - May 2010

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This is the second publication of Maradeca Inc. in 2010

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Page 1: Maradeca May 2010

The automated election system failed to bring change to Lanao del Sur traditional warlord and goon country of Mindanao where violence and a low voter turnout marked the May 10 elections, as they did in the past.

The police, military and election stakeholders reported incidents of killings, explosions, abductions and gunfights between opposing camps in this province, which has traditionally been the backdrop of the worst cases of dagdag-bawas (vote padding and shaving), when counting was done manually.

But voters in seven towns did not get a taste of the new automated system because teachers failed to show up for election duty as members of the Boards of Election Inspectors amid the climate of fear.

A failure of elections was declared in the towns of Masiu, Lumba Bayabao, Lumba Caunayan, Bayang, Tuburan, Sultan Marogong, and Lumbatan because there were no teachers, and in Ganassi where there were no ballots.

The various incidents indicate that nothing has changed in Lanao del Sur. The violence, which ranges from verbal abuse to shooting that has been a regular feature of elections in Lanao del Sur and the Autonomous Region in Musim Mindanao (ARMM), even worsened in 2010.

It is no coincidence that the province has been a major arena for the production of fraudulent poll results especially in the national vote. It was featured in the “Hello, Garci” scandal, the massive vote-rigging in the 2004 election, with conversations between President Gloria Arroyo and then election commission Virgilio Garcillano recorded on tape.

On election day, two people, a 12-year-old boy and the other a 19-year-old girl. were hit by stray M-79 bullets while they were inside a polling precinct at the Tugaya Central Elementary School in Tugaya town. The girl, Aslia Panda, was declared dead at the Amai Pakpak Provincial Hospital at 4 p.m on election day.

Salic Ibrahim, head of Citizens Coalition for ARMM Responsible Election (Citizens CARE), said there were no casualties from the bombings, which he said were done by men “who are probably out to harass voters and disrupt the conduct of the elections.”

Lanao del Sur got a preview of the intensity of the violence as early as October last year, when a bomb exploded at a voter registration center in Marawi City, killing three people and wounding 20 others. Sources said many of those trying to enlist were would-be flying voters from Lanao del Norte intending to secure registration as Lanao del Sur voters. Each person was reportedly paid P100 as down payment for a promised P1,000, with free food and travel expenses, a big sum for people living in one of the poorest regions of the country.

Indeed, previous researches by Mindanews indicate that fraud and violence in Lanao del Sur usually begin during the registration period when politicians and political operators maneuver to pad the official roll of voters with names of “flying voters.” These “flying voters” are usually either non-residents or minors, or voters already registered in other precincts or localities in Lanao del Sur.

In 2007, most of the flying voters came from Iligan City, and nearby Misamis Oriental towns while some were from Ozamiz City—a mix of Maranaos and non-Maranaos—hauled into the precincts in jampacked trucks.

This election is no different. Lanao del Sur governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. disclosed that his camp estimated the province’s number of registered voters to be padded by more than 150,000. Total registered voters in Lanao del Sur for the May 10 polls, as of March 17, 2009, was 459,012.

A Mindanews research after the 2007 election showed that the number of registered in Lanao del Sur had shot up to 396,913 that year, from the 275,720 three years before, an increase that was statistically impossible.

Old-style violence in Lanao Sur despite automated polls

continue to page 3

Official Publication of Maranao People Development Center, Inc. Vol. 5 No. 4 March - May 2010

Page 2: Maradeca May 2010

Two persons lining up to vote at the Tugaya Central Elementary School ended up dead while another was wounded when a man identified as Albert Balindong strafed them at around 10:45 a.m., Major Ferdinand Cacas, head of the Philippine Army’s103rd Brigade Election Monitoring and Action Center, said.

Cacas added that the attack was apparently intended to disrupt the balloting process.

Voting in the area was immediately stopped but it proceeded as scheduled in other precincts. Authorities have yet to identify the victims.

Improvised bombs exploded near the gymnasium of the Mindanao State University campus in Marawi City. Another explosion happened when a black Isuzu highlander blew up near an elementary school where people were voting and another improvised bomb exploded at an unpopulated corner in Barangay Saduc.

No one was injured, according to reports from the Citizens Coalition for ARMM Electoral Reform (Citizens CARE).

Salic Ibrahim, head of Citizens CARE said no person was wounded in the bombing incidents done by men “who are probably out to harass voters and disrupt the conduct of the elections.”

Ibrahim said there were also mauling incidents in a number of precincts in Marawi.

“In Calanogas town, barangay chairs exchanged fire, hitting one civilian in a crossfire while armed supporters of mayoral candidates at Kapai town ended in an armed confrontation wounding one civilian at about 10 a.m. today,” he said.

Citizens CARE also recorded five towns that have not conducted elections: Tamparan, Masiu, Lumbatan, Tubaran, Sultan Domalondong and Bayang.

‘Tubaran’s PCOS machines were not yet transported to their town and are still kept by Comelec in Marawi city. Others have absence of board of election inspectors,” Ibrahim said.

Suganob said Comelec officials in those towns have declared that no voting was held there.

Suganob, who was at the Election Monitoring Center at 103rd Infantry Brigade, also reported that armed confrontations also happened in Tugaya town because of disagreements among candidates and municipal Comelec officials. He said voting stopped in Lumbayanagu, too, due to violence.

Suganob added that there are barangays in Balindong and Bacolod-Kalawi towns that stopped voting.

Mahid Sakar, also of Citizens CARE, reported that two barangays in Buadiposo Buntong town held manual elections because their PCOS

machines malfunctioned.Sakar reported that some barangay officials in the town

went inside the precincts and “called on the electorate to vote instead of BEIs doing it. Even soldiers failed to control them.”

Ibrahim said that election failed to start early while a number of PCOS machines malfunctioned. He also said that Maranao voters aren’t using priority numbers; they used the

Violence, low voter turnout, mark polls in Lanao provinces

Violence, vote-buying mar special polls in Lanao Sur

continue to page 5 continue to page 5

Reports of fraud and violence marked the special elections held in Lanao del Sur Thursday as vote-buying proliferated, with the price pegged at anywhere from P10,000 to 15,000 per family.

This was the report made by the Citizens Coalition for ARMM Electoral Reform (Citizens CARE), an election watchdog in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which monitored the conduct of special election in the Lanao areas.

Citizens CARE also said the indiscriminate firing of guns left a nine-year-old girl in critical condition.

Special elections were conducted in190 clustered precincts in seven towns in Lanao del Sur, based on Comelec Resolution 8965.

The resolution covered the towns of Sultan Dumalundong, Lumba Bayabao, Masiu, Tubaran, Lumbaca Unayan, Marogong and Bayang which had a total of 71,578 voters.

The elections in these towns remained hotly contested because the results will determine who will win the congressional seat in the province’s second district, as well as local officials.

A nine-year-old girl watching from her window got hit by a stray bullet in her left shoulder, as witnesses reported people firing guns.

“Although police and military manned the precincts, still the tension was high with indiscriminate firing in some towns that threaten voters,” said Salic Ibrahim, executive director of Maradeca Inc. and head of Citizen CARE.

Based on Citizens Care’s documentation, the shooting was done by support groups of politicians in Sultan Domalondong and in Masiu towns.

Citizens CARE coordinated with Legal Network for Truthful Election (Lente) in monitoring election related violence and documented cases relating to election fraud and irregularities. Citizens Care had about 241 volunteers helping monitor the special election.

“It was still different if trained Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) managed the election because the military and policemen lacked expertise in handling the election process, like there were those who did not put indelible ink to those who have voted,” Ibrahim said.

He also said watchdogs experienced marginalization in precinct centers as volunteers were not immediately recognized by soldiers assigned, “although the problem was remedied by dialogues.”

Ibrahim also revealed that vote buying was rampant with offers going up to P15,000 per family the night before the scheduled poll.

He also reported that there were supporters of national officials, contesting for elective posts still, who gave P100 or P50 per voter.

“We also observed those who are actively doing smear campaign against presidential candidate Mar Roxas because of his position against Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD),” he said.

Jhoe Musor, communication officer of Maradeca Inc., described the special election as ’still considered generally peaceful despite some election cases haunting its conduct.”

“In Marogong town, Comelec officials with police and military decided that only two watchers were allowed to enter inside the polling 2

Page 3: Maradeca May 2010

Election day is when the numbers turn into actual votes, and opposing camps guard each other’s voter base, herding supporters from their homes towards precincts and back.

The cooperation of precinct-level poll officials or the board of election inspectors (BEIs) is a key element in having flying voters or multiple registrants operate. This includes not marking with indelible ink the left point-finger of a person who just voted, or if at all, a non-indelible ink is used; or more brazenly, simply allowing those who are known to have voted, to vote as many times as they would like to.

For journalists who have long covered Lanao del Sur elections, one lingering image of this trick is that of a boy in his early teens in 2001 who emerged from a precinct and bragged about having voted 10 times in several nearby precincts as shown by all his fingers marked with indelible ink. The marks are a badge for collecting payment.

Another image is the reverse: a line of voters who came out of a precinct and showed no indelible ink marks in their left point-fingers.

Coaching and dictation on who to vote for while already inside the polling center are fairly common practice. In 2007 when voters were to write names of candidates voted, there were precincts with no printed guides of the bets to choose from. Rather, only a select few of bets have their names in stickers pasted in the ballpens and desks one has to use when filling the ballots. Additional guidance would come from the voter ‘coaches.’

ProspectsThe automated election system is supposed to have made dagdag-

bawas passé. Dalidig said that with vote rigging at the counting and canvassing stage replaced by a quick and computerized count, the space for fraud maneuvers became centered on voter registration and actual voting, the stages where he said chances for confrontation and violence are high, he notes.

Dalidig points to adequate security cover as very significant in creating an atmosphere whereby voters and poll officials will be free from intimidation or threats of physical abuse by opposing political camps.

“As you see, fraud is committed in an atmosphere of insecurity,” Dalidig said in an interview before Monday’s elections.

At the end of yesterday’s election, the Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines reported five incidents of bombing and four incidents of strafing, resulting in one person killed.

Encouraging signs pre-election signsThe people of Lanao del Sur greeted the May 10 elections with much

hope. On the road between Iligan and Marawi cities, billboards that read “Welcome 2010 Election, Hijrah from Haram to Halal! (Journey from forbidden to upright practices!)” are still visible.

These were hung by IMERGG since mid-2009 to remind Maranao electorate of the importance of reforming the way they conduct themselves as voters.

“The long-term process of changing the electoral landscape of Lanao del Sur must begin with voters. They are the most strategic element,” explained Abdul Nasser Mangondaya, former provincial secretary-general of the National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel).

Meantime, a “People’s International Observers Mission (PIOM)” has been monitoring events in the province since May 7 and will stay there till May 15.

“The goal is to assure that voters are protected and free to vote according to their conscience and that democratic processes are fully respected,” said a statement from the PIOM.

Joining the 22-man mission is Canadian Member of Parliament Don Davies.

“The role of the mission is to help ensure and to assess whether the conditions exist for the conduct of a free, fair and credible election in which Philippine citizens fully exercise their right to vote,” said mission member Randall Garrison.(RYAN ROSAURO, VIOLETA M. GLORIA, AND JULES BENITEZ, Mindanews and VERA Files)

StatementELECTION CONCERNS REMAIN IN

THE ARMM, DESPITE AUTOMATION

Old-style violence...

Citizens CARE, the COMELEC accredited poll watcher in the ARMM, deployed 6750 volunteers every single of the ARMM’s 3377 clustered precincts. This followed a three months period of facilitating local community consultations and 2552 voter education sessions in the entire region’s barangays.

Citizens CARE observers noted a substantial decrease of violence after the initial flare during the November massacre, as well as notable speed increases in the counting and transmission of results, which decreased opportunities for election day fraud.

However, the established complex of election fraud unfortunately remains intact and beyond the reach of automation. Citizens CARE monitors noted specifically;

• Vote buying: Observers noted that vote buying remained not only as rampant but was actually more visible. In Tawi-Tawi, candidate representatives went house to house soliciting voes in exchange for payment;

• Threats leading to isolated failure of elections: in 7 towns of Lanao del Sur, COMELEC declared a failure of elections due to the fact that BEI members did not show up due to intimidation by local political candidates;

• Slow Transmission: canvassing and transmission speed in the ARMM remained significantly under the national average, due to the peace and order situation, as well as connectivity challenges. In all 5 provinces, power outages led to a delay in opening, voting and transmission. In Maguindanao, 37 municipalities had challenges receicing data from precincts, leading to a delay of proclamation of congressional candidates by 48 hours. As of today, 4 towns remain uncanvassed. These delays exposed the system to external risks;

• Non-use of PCOS machines: Several areas (Bacolod, 8 municipalities in Lanao del Sur) in the ARMM refused to utilize PCOS machines at the precincts after problems were discovered during the testing and sealing. In Barimbingan, Ditsaan Ramain, one PCOS machine was burned. In Paraitan, the PCOS was not deployed due to threats from a local official to shoot it;

• Secrecy of the ballot: as in the rest of the country, there was widespread joint voting, and ballot secrecy folders were largely absent;

• Ballot fraud: in various locations, observers noted BEI members and voters filling out several ballots. In Kapatagan, one voter received two ballots and was filling them out in the immediate vicinity of watchers. Another repeatedly filled out ballots and fed them into the PCOS.

• Violence: Conduct of the voting was generally peaceful with isolated incidents in Northern Kabuntalan (Brgy. Kapimpilan), where supports of opposing candidates engaged in a firefight that resulted in 2 deaths. In Datu Salibo, Datu Unsay, Paglat, and SK Pendatun municipalities in Maguindanao, unidentified groups lobbed mortar shells at the vicinity of precincts. In Mangal, Sumisip, election materials and official ballopts were forcibly taken by a private army group. One PCOS machine was destroyed in Barira, maguondanao.

Salic Ibrahim, Chairman of Citizen’s CARE stated: “Automating the elections has brought significant improvements to the speed of counting the votes. Unfortunately, these improvements were not sufficient to break the established system of command votes, in which political leaders dictate people’s choices, and continues to thwart the true exercise of the right of suffrage.”

Citizens CARE will start working immediate with COMELEC and other relevant authorities to improve the situation ahead of the 2011 ARMM elections.

Information on Citizens CARECitizens CARE is the leading election monitoring and reform group in the ARMM

and was founded in June 2005. For the last elections, it was mandated by COMELEC to conduct poll watching in various precincts including assistance to voters in the 2010 National and Local Elections in the ARMM. CCARE deployed 6750 volunteers covering 2552 barangays in 118 municipalities including 4 Cities of Marawi, Cotabato, Lamitan and Isabela throughout the ARMM region in its 5 provinces and 4 cities.

In the pursuit of its mandate, Citizens CARE established partnerships with thirty six (36) non government organizations, civil society organizations, people’s organizations and academe, civic groups, media and communication groups who participated in monitoring the whole electoral process. 3

Page 4: Maradeca May 2010

Maradeca conduct voter’s educ; record ERV cases

Citizen’s Coalition for ARMM for Responsible Election (CCARE) have already conducted voters education to 900 of 1,152 barangays of Lanao del Sur.

Salic Ibrahim, executive director of Maradeca Inc., said that voters’ education and documenting election related violence are among the initiatives to improve the electorates disposition in choosing officials for elective posts.

"So far, there were about 20% of the barangay populace who have directly participated in voters education in all those served,' Salic said. Maradeca bared that they also educate voters on automated machines.

Norhanifah Diamoden, resident of Butig town said that she "learned the right way of blocking the oval beside the candidate’s name, hence gained knowledge about the new procedures of voting. Aside from that, I was able to learn the election offenses which makes us more aware ad help us to avoid some irregularities inside the polling center."

Khafidah Saripada of Lumbac a Unayan expressed that "voter's education helped us learned to check thoroughly the ballot forms from the moment we received it whether it’s crumpled or unclean because the machine will not read the ballot if such happens."

Mocrib Kiram from Ramain town said that "voters’ education helped me realize that vote buying is not really good and is violative of the election code. I also learned about the election offenses. I will surely share the knowledge I grasped from this training to others especially to our neighbors in our barangay."

Rohanie Kabugatan from Mulundo municipality said "voters’ education equipped electorate with knowledge to avoid mistakes or errors in casting our votes. I just learned that this upcoming election will be more secured and have a possibility that cheating will be terminated or at least minimize because of the automated machine that will be used in canvassing votes."

Moreover, CCARE are also documenting election-related violence in Lanao del Sur from registration toward post-voting period.

Ibrahim, who also chair CCARE, reported that aside from the bombing incident near Marawi city's Comelec office that killed one and wounded 19 alleged flying-voters in time for registration, armed confrontation also happened in mid-April at Kapai and Tagoloan towns of Lanao del Sur between supporters of rival gubernatorial candidates.

He said shooting incident involved supporters for gubernatorial candidates of the province have three persons wounded.

Two persons were also killed and one was wounded in an ambuscade believed by military officials as politically motivated at barangay Calipapa, Lumbac-Unayan in January 10. Killed were Casanor Landok and Mama Aloyuda while wounded person was Naif Bangon.

In April 10, there was also a shooting incident among local policemen at barangay Malna of Kapai town in Lanao del Sur although there was no reported casualty in that incident.

Another ambuscade happened at barangay Linuk, Cawayan of Maranatao town that killed a vehicle driver. Records said that the case remained under investigation.

Ibrahim believed that more violence will happen

in the province as election draw nears. He also forecasted that some areas will also have their election postponed as this has been the trend in the region every national elections.

1Lt. Edward Dompol of 103rd Infantry Brigade based in Marawi city said that soldiers are deployed in designated areas of operations per municipality.

"We focus on peace advocacy for the upcoming election. We tapped NGOs advocating for the peaceful conduct of election just like Maradeca Inc.," he said.

Dompol pointed that like civilian communities, they also shared concerns on the possibility of that there are people who will try to disrupt the counting by destroy or pouring water on automate machines.

"With varied forms of cheating here, we are also worried that there might be voters who will not be able to receive ballot forms or there are no ballot forms left for them. We are ensuring though that ballot boxes and the PCOS machine will be secured enough specially the electorates," he said.

Meanwhile, senior police officer Abedin Dipatuan Marohom, community relations officer of Lanao del Sur police provincial office, also expressed that they helped secure the transportation of PCOS machine to the polling center of all municipalities. The Comelec, PNP and AFP provide security to the area where the automated machines are placed."

Marohom also said that a Joint Security Coordinating Center (JSCC) was also created for the peaceful and fair conduct of election composed of representatives of PNP, AFP, Citizens Coalition for ARMM Electoral Reform, non-government officers and other concerned group of people.

"This coordinating center is also localized with the establishment of joint security coordinating center (MJSCC) in every municipalities," he said.

Marohom said that the police forces are had conducted interreligious prayer for peaceful election with ulamahs, priests, Comelec officials, police, military and civil society groups from April 14 to 21.

Marohom pointed that flying voters in Lanao del Sur might disrupt electoral processes here with strong partisan tendencies of people.

Both police and military officials have readied for violent tendencies as this province has been marred with electoral fraud and possible disruptions of armed groups who are favoring politicians.

In the enforcement of gun ban policies, both police and military have confiscated seven .45 caliber pistols, four 9mm gun, one .38 caliber pistol, two gauge shot guns, one m653 and four m16 machinegun rifles. 4

Page 5: Maradeca May 2010

place,” she said.“We have noted that a few voters collapsed due to hunger and due to

searing heat of the sun while supporters of mayoral candidates figured in fist fights in Lumba Bayabao. They were exchanging foul words and death threats,” Musor described.

“Soldiers denied youths of minor age to vote,” Musor said. “But compared to the recent May 10 poll, the crowd was controlled.”

Ibrahim believed that the Comelec, civil society and the academe need to do more to educate both voters and candidates to avoid recurring electoral violence and fraud in the province.

“Electoral reform is not only the business civil society and Comelec but of politicians too. Thus, those who are seeking elective posts must undertake seminars on electoral reform so that we can achieved desired change,” Ibrahim added.

Lanao del Sur has yet to experience a national election that was successfully conducted. It was one of the provinces that has served as backdrop for alleged electoral conspiracies such as the “Hello-Garci” controversy.

Samira Ali Gutoc-Tomawis, a Maranao corporate leader and social activist, commented that “Lanao del Sur has a notorious propensity in hosting hotspots that tend to make elections a failure. Losing candidates would strategize on ways to disrupt the possible entry and gains of the rival in the precincts by gun-fires in the air thereby scuttling away the voters. Vote-buying has become the rule, not the exception; election operators are taking its role.”

Tomawis said “flying-voters who are non-residents of the town have become the key to propelling victory for local candidates” as the political climate of the province doesn’t allow “political debates, just political transactions.”

“Special elections are the exemplars of a bastardly practice of democracy,” she said. Tomawis, a staunch supporter of vice presidential

alphabetical method of voting.Sakar said that automated election went well in Ramain town.Lanao del Sur has a total registered voters of 396,722 registered

votersIn Lanao del Norte, election officials reported that malfunctioning of

PCOS are common problems.Juanito Enriquez, managing director of civil society organization’s

forum for peace (CSOFP) said truckloads of flying voters from Cagayan de Oro and Marawi city were transported in Tangkal town.

Enriquez also said that a vehicle containing election materials suddenly exploded at Lumba-Bayabao town.

“The generic problem in Lanao provinces is low turn-out of voters,” said Enriquez.

In Iligan city, the Commission on Election (Comelec) extended the voting time from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. as majority of the voters of the city complained of the slow-paced conduct of automated polls.

City election officer Roselyn Smith said defective and malfunctioning of PCOS are common problems in clustered precincts of the city but “we must proceed with the conduct of election based on regional instructions with consideration of delay.”

“We gave discretion to the BEIs on how to conduct the elections. Voters were given priority numbers to look for comfortable places while waiting for the others who are prioritized to votes. The delay is also attributable to the slow-paced voting of electorates. But we can’t blame them for this,” she said.

Smith reported that there was no major election-related violence in the city while minor cases were dealt with by police and military officials.

Many voters also complained they were not on the Comelec list but that their names were in the PPCRV list. (VIOLETA M. GLORIA, Mindanews)

Violence... low voters...from page 2 from page 2

continue to page 105

Page 6: Maradeca May 2010

Thirteen farmers attend soil sampling seminar

Thirteen Maranao farmers, one of which is female, attended the training on soil sampling to equip them with knowledge on soil analysis to improve their respective farm practices.

The training was conducted on March 24, 2010 and was participated by chairpersons of Ompongan o mga Taribasok sa Ranao (OTR) from different towns of Lanao del Sur province.

Rosa Villa Estoista, professor from Department of Plant Science in College of Agriculture at Mindanao State University-main campus, facilitated the training.

Estoista said, “the training was also to impart skills and knowledge to the participants regarding soil sampling practices thru lectures or discussions and actual activity that helped them gain knowledge about identifying soil for planting as well as the procedural side of it.

The project is covered under Secure Livelihood Program of Maradeca Inc.

Ibrahim Mama, provincial chairperson of OTR, said that the training served as an opportunity to enhance their skills on farming and to uphold best practices to sustain the soil’s fertility and its use for agricultural development.

A medical mission, perceived as a ‘gift of life’, was conducted for residents in remote barangay Bayabao of Butig town, Lanao del Sur by health workers of Maradeca Inc., a non-government organization with main office at Marawi city, in partnership with Integrated Province of Health Office (IPHO),

Medicines were freely afforded to patients

United Nations-Act for Peace and StRide-Mindanao, and municipal office as well as

Medical mission at Butig town is ‘gift of life’

health officers.Maradeca staff along with medical doctors and midwives of

IPHO trooped to barangay Bayabao to give free medical checkup and medicines to indigent patients who can hardly afford the services of private hospitals to cure their illnesses or the financial capability to provide vitamins for their children.

A total of 55 female and 47 male patients were given attention in this mission. There were also 123 children diagnosed and checked.

Most of the residents in this barangay suffer from hypertension, fever, cough, body pain, headache, back pain, and gastric pain. The children, on the other hand, are commonly infected with fever, cough, cold and diarrhea.

“The mission was also an opportunity for health workers to reassess the health condition of the populace and to determine their medical needs,” explained Ibrahim Salic, executive director of Maradeca Inc.

“Medical missions are often realized by a small group of volunteers willing to put aside time and money to bring hope to isolated and poor population groups. It is conducted in depressed

areas of the world to lengthen indigent patients’ rate of survival and to provide them better health advisory,” Salic further said.

“This is a blessing to note that an NGO has a heart that really bleeds for the poor and are finding all means to reach out hinterland barangays to give free medicines and medical checkup. We will never forget Maradeca’s sense of generosity for our barangay and such difference they instill to our very lives,” says Ominsalam Mamacotao, a villager of Bayabao.

“This kind of assistance manifests your understanding to the plight of the poor people like us. With the prohibitive costs of hospitalization nowadays, these services are truly a huge relief and a gift of life to us,” she added.

Sinab Datu of Maradeca Inc., expressed that “while we may not immediately see the fruits of this mission but we find joy knowing that we help change their lives.” She also hoped that this mission will be replicated and was grateful to medical doctors who tirelessly joined them with strong sense of purpose and mission.

Butig is a conflict-affected community with sixteen barangays with a total population of 22,256. 6

Page 7: Maradeca May 2010

Medicines are now accessible in Butig

The Botika ng Barangay is finally built and will become the center of access for medicines in remote village of Butig town situated across Lake Lanao from Marawi of Lanao del Sur.

Botika sa Barangay was established in one of the affected areas in Butig municipality to provide immediate access for medication as alternate mechanism to address the distance of this far-flung village from the center where pharmacies and hospitals are abound.

The exorbitant prices of branded or patented drugs captured people’s attention in the community and wanted for access for affordable medicines. Botika ng Barangay (BnB) is an alternative solution to the problem of the community against medicine’s high prices. The community will be able to avail generic and cheap but effective medicines.

This project is a joint venture of United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Maranao People Develoment Center Inc. (Maradeca Inc.) in partnership with the local government of Butig. Medicines were accessed with the support from Integrated Province of Health Office (IPHO).

CCARE meet to strengthen election reform partnership

The Citizens Coalition for ARMM Electoral Reforms (CCARE)

recently conducted Ugnayan Tayo on April 7, 2010 with electoral reform stakeholders of Lanao del Sur to redefine strategies in addressing potential problems and irregularities on May 10 national poll and identify possible solutions to it.

In that meeting, CCARE heads presented the output of Pulong Tayo 4 (Voters’ Education) in numerous barangays of Lanao del Sur where they conducted their sorties..

They identified probable acts of irregularities in the forthcoming election as well as the achievable precautionary measures.

They also sought the support of the Commission on Election (Comelec) to educate Maranao voters on automated election system.

CCARE has a Local Democracy Council composed of government representatives and civil society organization.

This council is composed of representatives from Commission on Election (Comelec), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Statistics Office (NSO), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine national Police (PNP), DXSO, Islamic Movement for Electoral Reform and Good Governance (IMERGG), Department of Interior and Local Government, Ompongan o Mga taribasok sa Ranao (OBAERA), and Healing Democracy and Prelature of St. Mary.

Editorial Board

SALIC B. IBRAHIM, editor-in-chief; SINAB DATU, associate editor; JOHAIRA M.MUSOR managing editor; SAFIA DIMATINGCAL, feature editor; VIOLETA M. GLORIA, news editor; ANAPOLA “Girl” DOLOGMANDIN, layout editor.

ContributorsJehan M. Ditucalan, Janifa Camama, Diamond D. Tomo, Mahid M. Sacar, Mohaida Sultan, Zoliaca R. Camama, Zenaida D. Usman, Rohania H. Amer, Alimayrah Dibaratun, , Jabber A. Camama, Nadjeba Maruhom, Sittie Azliah Espinola, Jamalia Baulo, Sahria Adapun, Abdul Khaliq H. Alim, Victoria Fanthorpe, Rohaifa Balindong, and Omaira Saripada.Office Address: Maradeca Inc.,Ragayan Marantao, Lanao del Sur Email add: [email protected];Satellite Office: Maradeca Inc.Door 5, J and J Apartment, Oxford Street, Celdran Village, Iligan City Telephone # (+63) 302-0534 website: //www.maradeca.org

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Farewell Victoria! “Saying goodbye is not easy thing to do.” So, the song goes. That proved difficult for them too who have engendered emotional attachment to a British friend. But this, they must. Staff of Maradeca host a farewell party for Victoria Fanthorpe, a British national who volunteered as resource generation consultant, last April 4, 2010 at Pagalongan, Buadi-Puso Buntong, Lanao del Sur. This time, in a most colorful and creative way. “We wanted to show to Fanthorpe the beauty of preserved Meranao Culture thru dances,”said Salic Ibrahim, executive director of Maradeca Inc. Members of Maradeca danced the traditional Sagayan, Singkil, and Kapag-apir-apir. A folk artist also sang bayok-- a Maranao ballad. The farewell party was also attended by all members of peoples organizations served by Maradeca. They were from Pagalongan, Lumbatan, and Lumbac. Other partners were also around such as the members of Ompongan ng o mga Bae sa Ranao (Obaera), Maradeca Community Banking (MCB), and Maranao Youth for Peace

and Development (MYPD). All of them wore colorful landap, a Meranao traditional clothing. Ibrahim thanked Fanthorpe for her contributions to the institution including her shared knowledge and skills on resource mobilisation. Fanthorpe also thanked Maradeca for the support and the friendship she enjoyed from all staff in touching the lives of the people of Lanao del Sur. Fanthorpe, who volunteered in Maradeca thru Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO), served from October 2009 to April 2010.

Truly my prayer and my service or sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah, the cherisher of the universe-al qur'an

15 families at Butig enjoy core shelters

Fifteen core shelters were constructed and distributed to

15 conflict-affected families of barangay Bayabao, Butig, Lanao del Sur.

These villagers are former internally displaced communities during the all-out war in 2000 and in a punitive military action in 2003.

These core shelters were constructed by residents with support from Maranao People Development Center Inc. (Maradeca Inc.) in partnership with the United Nations Development Program-StRide (Act for Peace) and the municipal government as part of the post-conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction initiatives in Lanao.

“This is among those identified fundamental needs of the families in a baseline data gathering under the first phase of integrated rehabilitation project.” said Salic Ibrahim, executive director of Maradeca, Inc.

Ibrahim explained that the project was implemented to meet the needs of the community and to ensure their welfare as poverty was exacerbated with conflict situations.

The core shelters were constructed under a Bayanihan system that indirectly enhances camaraderie and unity among residents.

“The men in the community have shown willingness to volunteer their services for the construction of these core shelters,” Ibrahim said.

“Beneficiaries are now staying in these houses and proudly owned it as they exercise their chores privately,” said Ibrahim.

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22 Maradeca staffs undergo resource generation seminar

“In good times and bad, we know that people give because

you meet needs, not because you have needs.”- Kay Grace Maradeca Inc. conducted a 2-day Fundraising Workshop-

Training at Villa Laceda, Linamon, Lanao del Norte on January 25 and 26, 2010 to capacitate its 22 staff with skills, knowledge, and strategies about resource generation to meet the financial need to defray its developmental programs in Lanao del Sur.

As an institution that aimed at “liberating the disadvantaged from poverty, Maradeca Inc. has been facilitating activities to meet the immediate and long-term needs of its catered communities in Lanao del Sur.

The training engaged staff to a discussion on fund raising inputs shared by Victoria Fanthorpe, resource speaker and resource generation advisor of Maradeca Inc. from Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO) since October, 2009 to April 2010.

Participants underwent actual proposal writing in said training.

Covenant of Peace signed Stakeholders for peaceful conduct of election Buadiposo Buntong of Lanao del Sur signed a covenant of peace to express their voluntary commitment for its realization in last May 10 poll. “Police superientendent Paniares U. Adap and Brig.Gen. Rey C. Ardo of 104rth Infantry Brigade of Philippine Army and the provincial election supervisor of Lanao del Sur Atty. Nasib D. Yasin delivered messages of hope and updated people on their roles in the actual conduct of election in Lanao areas,” said Johaira Musor, communciation officer of Maradeca. It was also graced by candidates,municipal leaders, and representatives of police.military and civil society leaders.Alem Said Dirampatan, a religious head and municipal election officers Timbang B. Bao also witnessed the activity. Alem Dirampatan led the community prayer for peaceful election after the covenant was signed by parties and officials. Said covenant was signed last April 29, 2010.

Maradeca conduct day care class at Buadiposo Buntong

Lack of access to education for little kids prompted

Maranao People Development Center Inc. (Maradeca Inc.) to organize Day Care class at barangay Dansalan, Buadiposo Buntong, Lanao del Sur with support from Caritas Australia.

“Primary education for pre-school children continued to be one of the main challenges that needed to be addressed for the well-being and quality of children,” Sinab Datu said, Maradeca' s program coordinator.

“Education is a basic right for all children around the world, yet in developing countries there are almost two billion children that are not receiving proper education or any education at all. The lack of education for these kids is of grave concern and continue to negatively impact to their very lives and affect the development of nations,” Salic Ibrahim said, Maradeca executive director.

“Children and adults who are illiterate or uneducated are more susceptible for victimization,” he also added.

In the day care class at barangay Dansalan, there are currently twenty students aged seven to12 that have enrolled for free basic literacy education.

“If a large majority of children in this country are not educated, the prospect of the future business, political, religious and government leaders will be marred for many generations. We therefore need to address issues on poverty, disease, war, child labor, child soldiers, human slavery and trafficking,” Datu explicated.

Ibrahim expressed that parents of these children were grateful of this opportunity to send their children for classes with less expense.

“The children are now able to read words and learn how to write. They are very much eager to learn. They have shown devotion to studies during class hours,” observed by Rohaniah Macarampat, program officer of social services.

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Arts and Signs is an expression of passions for those with burning desire to earn and be preoccupied for this of work. Youths and adults, in need of source of income, can maximize arts to survive.

Take it on how passione was Maradeca in partnership with the Caritas-Australia in capacitating local neophytes artists for livelihood thru arts!

Cognizant to the immediate needs of young people and community members, Maradeca Inc. conducted training on arts and sign at barangays Guimba and Nanapun of Marawi City. It was also replicated at barangay Gata Buadi Puso Buntong. Participants were members of Maranao Youth for Peace and Development (MYPD), Ompongan o mga Taribasok sa Ranao (OTR), Ompongan o mga Bae sa Ranao (Obaera) and Maradeca Community Banking (MCB). The trainor was Salem Guro from Oker, a group of art enthusiasts at Mindanao State University (MSU)-main campus. They are into T-shirt printing, streamer-making, and other forms of art.

In Guimba, Arts and Sign training was held on May 1, 2010. It was attended by 12 male and 10 female. The trainor used lectures and workshop as methodology in this training.

“We hope that we could have more time to practice becasue we are truly interested into it and we are willing to share these skills to our brothers and husband as alternative income-generating work,” a member of Obaera said.

On May 3, the trainor accompanied by the Enterprises Development Program staff, conducted another arts and signs training at Nanapaun, Marawi City. Most of the participants are 20 members of MYPD.

They conducted meeting after the training and planned to utilize the skills they have learned forincome generation. MYPD president said that “we are hoping that we could have build small shop to practice for and became an alternative income for them”.

In the afternoon of same day, the same training was conducted in Gata Buadi Puso Buntong which was attended by 8 female and 15 male participants.

They were so delighted for having this opportunity. An OTR member said “we should be thankful because not all areas were given a chance to learn this skill”.

candidate Loren Legarda, also related that “Comelec Commissioner Elias Yusoph discouraged losing Maranao candidates from filing protests, and rather accept defeat and invest in good work in the next 3 years so that one can earn the people’s overwhelming favor as against a peso for a vote.”

She explained that violent and fraudulent elections in the province are rooted in poverty, the lack of governance, absence of basic social services, lack of agricultural supports and dearth of sanitation structures.

”Election here is business. Vote if you bid at the right rate. The ballot is bought by the best bidder,” she wrote. ”It is sad. It is appalling. It would take a generation to cleanse the soul of this local mafia-driven democracy,” Tomawis said.

Other areas that held special elections were barangay Buenos Aires, Pagsanghan, Western Samar; three clustered precincts in Glan, Sarangani; four in barangay Lower Mahayahay all in Maluso, Basilan; and 20 in eight barangays in Al Barka, Basilan. (VeraFiles and MindaNews)

Violence... from page 5

Young bakwits receive school supplies

Young morits (students) of a madrasah dubbed Darol Tawhid are lucky to receive school supplies from Maradeca Inc. and Act for Peace Program-StRide Mindanao as part of the initiatives to support conflict-affected community at barangay Bayabao, Municipality of Butig.

Said project is part of the integrated rehabilitation program for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Salic Ibrahim, executive director of Maradeca Inc., Maradeca staffs distributed the school supplies to 130 children studying Arabic lessons on April 24, 2010.

"School supplies given are bags, notebooks, ruler, ballpen, pencil, eraser, sharpener and crayons which are very important for students in their schooling. The children were very happy," expressed Sinab Datu, programs coordinator of Maradeca.

Isa Macaampa, the school principal, expressed "the school supplies helped students especially those who lacked the capacity to purchase these material. With it, students are motivated to be always present in their class and become more participative in classroom instructions.

Macaampa said they are very thankful for the continuous help they received.

Arts & passion at work

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