‘Duter10’ sweep OV vote in HK, but not in other overseas posts

 

Printout of the election results shown to watchers and media at the Voters Center

Senatorial candidates handpicked by detained former President Rodrigo R. Duterte swept the overseas election among Filipinos in Hong Kong and Macau, results published earlier today by the consulates in both special administrative regions of China show.

According to the advisory, the total number of registered voters for both cities was 94,295 (more than 83,000 of them are in Hong Kong). Of these, 31,637 voters cast their ballots, for a total turnout of 33.55%

The 10 candidates known to their followers as “Duter10” occupied the top slots in the ballot, with the remaining two going to former senators Gringo Honasan who ran as an independent; and Tito Sotto, who was in the administration ticket.

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Incumbent senator Bong Go led the winning candidates, followed closely by Bato dela Rosa and Rodante Marcoleta.

For the party-list vote, Duterte Youth, which was largely carried by Duterte supporters, was a runaway leader; followed by CIBAC, which is aligned with the Jesus is Lord Church which has a sizeable following in Hong Kong; then EPANAW Sambayanan, whose first nominee is Lorraine Badoy, a staunch Duterte ally.

Nearly the same result was obtained in several posts in the Middle East like Kuwait, where Go, Dela Rosa and Marcoleta emerged in the top three.

Basahin ang detalye!

But for their two additional choices, Filipinos in Kuwait went with Honasan and re-electionist Imee Marcos.

Filipinos in Singapore, however, dropped Quiboloy from the magic circle,  preferring to give the three last remaining spots to opposition candidates Bam Aquino and Francis Pangilinan, followed by Lacson.

The results showed a far different mix in places where there are fewer overseas contract workers, like in Los Angeles City, where Aquino and Pangilinan topped the list, followed by Heidi Mendoza, an independent candidate aligned with the two.

Go was on fourth slot, followed by Marcoleta, dela Rosa, another independent candidate Luke Espiritu, and then Lacson, Rodriguez, Bondoc, and Makabayan candidates Teddy Casino and France Castro.

In Australia, nearly the same names came out in the list of winners. The winning 12 candidates there were Aquino, Pangilinan, Mendoza, Go, dela Rosa, Espiritu, Marcoleta, Casino, Bondoc, Rodriguez, Lacson and Castro.

As as shown by the complete but unofficial results provided by the Commission on Elections, the overseas vote, which was done online for the first time, hardly reflected the national outcome.

This is due in large part to the low turnout for the historic vote. For example, out of the 4,557 registered voters in Southern California, which includes not just LA but also parts of Nevada and Arizona, only 1,131 voted online, for a dismal turnout of 3.27 percent.

Philippine Consul General for Macau Jun Israel and Macau CG Edna May Lazaro
made up the Special Board of Canvassers along with Vice Consul Gino Soriano 

Many voters have pointed to a lack of information about the new mode of voting, despite Comelec’s reported budget of at least P1.42 billion for making the transition as seamless as possible for the registered 1.3 million Filipino voters all over the world.

The technology used was also seen as far from user-friendly, as many voters complained of failing to even get past the initial stage of enrolling their credentials so they could be issued a ballot.

When they did manage to cast their ballots online, a number of voters expressed suspicion that their ballots had been replaced because the final page that showed up on their screen displayed a jumble of letters that seemed to form names of candidates they did not vote for.

Comelec and other officials tasked with administering the vote attributed this to birthing pains, and hope that the various experiences gained from the new technology would serve overseas voters in good stead when they get to vote in the more crucial presidential election in 2028.

 

 

Mixed results in Philippines’ mid-term election

 

More than 68m Filipinos voted across the country in yesterday's mid-term elections

A lot of surprises sprang from the results of the Philippines’ mid-term election, which is widely seen as a referendum on the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos and the looming showdown with his estranged vice-president Sara Duterte.

A mixed result came out of the elections which ended yesterday, March 12, both for Filipinos voting across the country and those who started voting overseas a month earlier.

Unofficial results put incumbent Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, a close aide of detained former President Rodrigo Duterte, a runaway leader in the senatorial race, something pre-election surveys had consistently forecast.

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But former Senator Bam Aquino placing second in the race came as a surprise to many, including himself. His political ally, Francis Pangilinan, also placed highly in the rankings, despite surveys showing both just beyond the winning circle of 12 senators.

Two other Duterte candidates finished strongly - incumbent Senator Ronaldo dela Rosa and Rep. Rodante Marcoleta.

While Marcos-backed candidates dominated the winners’ circle, taking seven of the 12 contested seats, two of them, Imee Marcos and Camille Villar, were also publicly endorsed by Vice President Duterte, so it is not likely they would vote to impeach her when the case comes before the Senate for trial.

Basahin ang detalye!

The other winning candidates who ran under the administration’s tickets were broadcaster Erwin Tulfo, former Senators Ping Lacson and Tito Sotto, and reelectionists Pia Cayetano and Lito Lapid.

With Aquino and Pangilinan easily securing slots in the winning circle, a number of supposed shoo-ins from the Marcos ticket failed to make it, including Tulfo’s brother Ben, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and incumbents Ramon “Bong” Revilla and Francis Tolentino.

The final unofficial tally shows 7 administration candidates landing in the magic circle

The Senate make-up will be crucial in determining whether President Marcos could push through with his political agenda, and hold sway on the fate of his jailed predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte and that of his embattled daughter, Sara.

Senators will act as jurors in an impeachment trial, and vote on the outcome. A 2/3 vote for impeachment would result to Sara Dutere being removed from office, and a lifetime ban.

Monday’s vote where 18,000  posts were contested, including mayors, governors and congressional representatives, yielded many other surprises.

Cynthia Villa's loss in Las Pinas is the first for her family since the 1990s

Among them, the defeat of outgoing Senator Cynthia Villar who ran as Congress representative for her hometown of Las Pinas, and of former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV who lost in his bid for the mayor’s post in Caloocan City.

As expected, former President Duterte was again elected as mayor of Davao City despite the uncertainty of his release from detention and return to the Philippines. He won alongside his son, Sebastian, who will slide down to the post of vice-mayor, and elder son Paolo, who retains his seat as Davao City representative.

Other runaway winners were Vico Sotto, who will serve his third and last term as mayor of Pasig City, and former Vice President Leni Robredo who will take up the post of Naga City mayor.

Akbayan, which leads the party-list vote, will have 3 Congress representatives

For the party-lists, Akbayan took most of the votes, winning more than 2.7 million votes, or nearly 6% of the total, which will ensure it of three seats in the House of Representatives. Its first nominee is human rights lawyer Chel Diokno.

The other sure winners are Duterte Youth, with 5.7% of the votes, Tingog with 3.96 %; 4Ps with 3.2%, Acts CIS with 2.67% and Ako Bicol with 2.4%

Hundreds of Filipinos turn out for last Sunday of overseas voting

 

The room where voters get help enrolling into the election system was packed today

For the first time since online voting for overseas Filipinos began on April 13, there was a continuous flow of voters on the 18^th floor of United Center building in Admiralty today, which was the last Sunday of the vote.

The designated enrolment and voting center opened as early as 8am today and yesterday, to accommodate the expected surge from last-minute voters.

Luckily, the deadline for self-enrolment for OV, an important pre-requisite for voting, was again moved to until tomorrow so those who turned out to seek help in casting their ballots did not go away empty-handed.

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The enrolment phase was originally set to end last May 7, but was postponed to May 10, until the Commission on Elections decided to move the deadline yet again to tomorrow, which will also mark the end of voting for all Filipinos, whether based abroad or in the Philippines.

Vice Consul Jose Angelo Manuel, who is in charge of administering the vote in Hong Kong, said at about 4pm today when the crowd had begun to thin out, that the day’s turnout looked like the biggest ever.

However, unlike in the past when the Consulate would freely give out information on each day’s turnout, VC Manuel said that Comelec had informed them that such is not allowed under the law, as it could lead to “trending” the election results.

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But he conceded Sunday had been particularly hectic that he had to help with the enrolment of voters himself.

“It’s all hands on deck for us today,” he said.

The lobby of United Centre's 18th floor  where the voting center is located

But if one were to compare the day’s turnout with those in previous elections, it would look like this year’s mid-term election would see the smallest number of Filipino voters casting their vote.

This could be attributed to a number of reasons, including Comelec’s failure to provide adequate information about the online voting system, which is being held for the first time at Philippine posts abroad, and was supposed to make voting easier for them.

Many voters also encountered difficulty in enrolling their credentials, often because their identity documents could not be read by the system. At least one longtime voter said it took her five hours to enroll and vote, even after seeking help at the voting center.

Not-so-techy voters are taught how to create passwords - and retain them

But the biggest turn-off could be the claims of early voters that the receipt for the ballots that they just cast contained the names of candidates they did not vote for.

Comelec has repeatedly debunked this claim, saying the ballot could no longer be read by the voter once it is cast as a security measure to prevent vote-buying. What appears as a jumble of letters after the vote is cast is a code that only Comelec could encrypt during the counting of ballots.

Overseas Filipinos voters could elect as many as 12 senators and one party-list, while those in the Philippines could also vote for local officials, including their district’s representatives in Congress.

The election will officially end at 7pm tomorrow, May 12.

 

Mabatid & Gamallo fail in bid to stop illegal recruitment charges

 

Mabatid and Gamallo are both running for public office in the upcoming Philippine elections

A Cebu-based businesswoman seeking to reclaim a seat as Cebu City councilor has lost her bid to get the Department of Justice reconsider its decision to charge her and five of her alleged accomplices with multiple counts of syndicated illegal recruitment and estafa.

In a decision promulgated last May 5, the DOJ denied a motion for reconsideration filed by respondent Prisca Nina Mabatid, who is running for a seat as councilor in Cebu City; along with her partner, Russ Mark Gamallo, who is seeking his first public post as mayor of Samboan, Cebu.

Both Mabatid and Gamallo are also subject of fraud complaints by around 20 overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong who claim the two had tricked them into paying Php132,000 each in February 2023 on the promise that they could enter Canada on a work-study program that did not exist. 

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The two were joined in the DOJ motion by their co-accused Clark M. Jueco, Vincent Adam Hechanova, Clint Victor A. Caingles and Noverna “Bernie” S. Uy.

All six were named respondents in the complaints filed by 11 Filipino jobseekers from across the Philippines, who claimed to have paid at least Php100,000 each, after being promised student visas that would allow them to work in Canada. 

The student visas,  offered through the companies PinoyCare Visa Center (PCVC) and Opportunities Abroad Visa Processing Services, never materialised  

One of the advertisements posted online by Opportunities Abroad 

Reacting to DOJ's decision to reject the motion for reconsideration, United Filipinos - Migrante Hong Kong posted a statement online calling for the immediate issuance of a warrant of arrest against Mabatid and her co-accused.

The group mentioned in particular the fraud complaints filed against Mabatid and Gamallo by the OFWs in Hong Kong who were "misleadingly promised jobs in Canada using student visas during a recruitment activity on February 19, 2023."

"It has been two years since the victims from Hong Kong and the Philippines and other countries filed cases against Mabatid and her co-perpetrators. This issue has gained significant attention and even prompted a Senate hearing. However, the case has progressed at a sluggish pace," said Unifil-Migrante.

Basahin ang detalye!

The group calked on the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to act on the case immediately.

"We demand that Nina Mabatid and (her) co-perpetrators be held accountable and face imprisonment for their crimes immediately," said the statement.

(Unifil-Migrante’s post is here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16GKJAiLep/?mibextid=wwXIfr)

Acting on complaints filed by the Department of Migrant Workers on behalf of the 11 jobseekers, the DOJ on Nov. 11 last year indicted Mabatid for 4 counts of syndicated illegal recruitment and 4 counts of estafa, while Gamallo was indicted for 7 counts of each offence.

Hechanova was charged with 7 counts of illegal recruitment, 1 count of simple illegal recruitment, and 8 counts of estafa, while Caingles faces 8 counts of syndicated illegal recruitment, 2 counts of simple illegal recruitment and 10 counts of estafa.

Uy was charged with 8 counts of syndicated illegal recruitment, 1 for simple illegal recruitment, plus 9 counts of estafa;  while Jueco who admitted signing the MOAs that the complainants were made to sign, faces 8 counts each of syndicated illegal recruitment and estafa.

Migrante Intl has helped the complainants pursue claims against Mabatid and company

Migrante International, which has assisted the 11 complainants in seeking help from the DOJ and the DMW, lauded the DOJ’s decision, but rued that it has taken long for the case to move ahead.

“It’s been almost a year since the PCVC victims filed a case of large-scale illegal recruitment against Mabatid, et. al with the Department of Justice,” said Vicky Casia, coordinator of the Migrante’s international rights and welfare assistance program.

“We welcome the DOJ decision because for so long, Mabatid has evaded accountability for her action. There is still hope that the victims will finally get justice, and that is when Mabatid is finally arrested and prosecuted.”

The DOJ resolution charged the six of using PCVC and Opportunities Abroad, which are not licensed with the Department of Migrant Workers, of offering jobs to the applicants, in the guise of student visas.

Mabatid and her co-respondents sought through a motion dated Dec 2, 2024 to get the resolution revoked on the ground that it was not supported by “prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction”.

They reiterated that Opportunities Abroad and Pinoy Care Visa Center, another company used to enlist the applicants, were not in the business of recruiting Filipinos for work abroad.

They argued that as visa assistance companies, they merely helped applicants with visa processing and related processes, and did not directly offer employment or recruitment services. There was no offer of employment as the complainants had applied for student visas.

The DOJ reiterated in the resolution that there is prima facie evidence against the accused

But in denying the motion for reconsideration, the DOJ through Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Amanda Felipe, said that no new matter was raised by the respondents “that would support a different outcome of the preliminary investigation of the above-entitled complaint.”

When the respondents offered their services to deploy the applicants to Canada through its study visa program, “they made it appear that they will also provide them with work upon arrival in Canada to help them pay for tuition fees and the cost of living there,” said the resolution.

“The promising or advertising for employment abroad, whether for profit or not, when undertaken by a non-licensee or non-holder of authority, is considered illegal recruitment.”

Large-scale illegal recruitment is a non-bailable offence punished with life imprisonment under Sec 6 of RA 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, as amended by R.A. No 110022.

Estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code is punishable with imprisonment ranging from a few months to several years, depending on the gravity of the offence and the amount involved.

The resolution was recommended for approval by Senior State Prosecutor Herbert Calvin B. Abugan and approved by Prosecutor General Richard Anthony D. Fadullon.

 

 

 

Enrolment for overseas Filipino voting extended to May 10

 

Comelec just extended the enrolment deadline to Saturday, May 10

With just five days to go before online voting for Filipinos overseas is set to end, the Commission on Elections has issued a reprieve to all those who have yet to enroll for the process.

The enrollment period which was set to end today, May 7, has been moved to May 10, allowing registered overseas voters another three days to enroll their credentials prior to being sent a ballot for the election.

Once enrolled, they can vote until 7pm on May 12, when polling stations across the country will close following a day-long vote. Alternatively, they can proceed immediately to voting after online enrolment.

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In an announcement posted online by the Comelec yesterday, the extension of the enrolment period was mentioned, but no reason was given.  

But many overseas Filipino voters who have mostly grumbled over the tedious and unclear process that allowed them to vote online for the first time, said this must be because of the dismal turnout in the ongoing overseas election.

Most of those who have voted so far complained why they had to enroll before being allowed to vote, when they had already gone through the process of registration, and are on the certified list of overseas voters.

Basahin ang detalye!

Not a few also lamented that it took them awhile to get their identity document and physical presence at the site just so they could get past the enrolment stage.

Then when they got past through this, they were given only a limited time to vote, unlike in manual voting when they could take as long as they wanted to fill in their ballots.

Equally, if not more prevalent, was the notion that the receipt for the ballot they had just cast bore names of candidates that they did not vote for. Many of the voters showed screenshots of a jumble of names under the heading: “Your Ballot ID”.

Today for the first time, Comelec said this was “fake news”.

Comelec warns voters who claim that their ballot was tampered with are spreading 'fake news"

Comelec said in a Facebook post, “Dapat po nating malaman na pagkatapos bumoto ng Registered Overseas Voter, agad na ENCRYPTED na ng OVCS ang balota para sa security ng inyong boto.” (We should all realize that after a registered overseas voter has voted, the ballot is immediately encrypted by the OVCS for security?.

The jumble of letters that show up as “ballot ID” is nothing more than “plaintext hash” that contains the ballot style and image, as well as the names of all the candidates chosen by the voter, said Comelec.

It warned that spreading false and alarming information is an election offence under Sec 261(z) (11) of the Omnibus Election Code.

Ultimately, whether Comelec succeeds in getting the more than 1.5 million Filipinos registered to vote abroad to take part in this landmark exercise will depend largely not just on its credibility, but also on its ability to come up with a system that’s easy and trustworthy.

 

 

DMW extends help to OFW whose daughter was killed in NAIA crash

 

Cacdac (in blue) consoles Malia's father Mark

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac extended sympathy as he visited the wake last night of the four-year-old daughter of an overseas Filipino worker who was killed when a runaway SUV rammed a number of people at the departure area of Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on May 4.

Malia Kates G. Masongsong had just seen off her father, Danmark S. Masongsong, who was supposed to return to his work as an assemblyline operator in Prague, Czech Republic, when she was hit by the SUV, along with her mother, grandmother and cousin.

Her three companions survived, but the two older women are still being treated at St Luke’s Hospital in Taguig City.

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Another man, 29-year-old Dearick Keo Faustino, who was about to leave on a business trip to Dubai, was also killed in the tragedy.

Secretary Cacdac relayed President Ferdinand E. Marcos’ message of sympathy and support to Masongsong, and assured him that they will be given all the necessary assistance that they need.

“Naririto po kami, inatasan ng Pangulo para ipaabot ang kaniyang pangangamusta at panalangin at siguraduhing maibigay ang lahat ng inyong pangangailangan," Secretary Cacdac said. (We were sent here by the President to extend his care and prayer, and ensure that you get all the help that you need.

Aftermath of the May 4 tragedy

With help from the Philippine embassy in Prague, the DMW also explained to Mark’s foreign employers what had happened that prevented the OFW from returning to work.

Before attending Malia’s wake in Lipa, Batangas, Cacdac visited the girl’s mother, Cynthia, and grandmother Edith, in hospital, to also express sympathy.

Mark later told reporters he managed to finally tell his wife that their daughter was gone.

Basahin ang detalye!

He also spoke of how much he loved Malia, whom he managed to see again only after being away for more than two years. His daughter had asked him not to leave again for work, shortly before he went inside the departure terminal.

Mark appealed to authorities to hold the driver of the SUV responsible for the death of his daughter and injuries to other family members, and if possible, prevent him from posting bail.

Justice was also demanded by the family of Faustino, a senior supervisor at a printing company and was said to be his family's breadwinner. One relative also questioned a seeming delay in taking the victims to the hospital.

Friends who were with him at the airport said Faustino had left them briefly to get a luggage trolley when he was hit by the SUV.

He is now buried in his hometown of Hagonoy, Bulacan, where Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian paid respects and offered help to his family.

 

 

 

 

Enrolment for overseas voting to end on May 7

 

All registered OFW voters who have not enrolled can do so tomorrow or Monday

The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong has reminded all overseas voters that they have only until Wednesday, May 7, to enroll to vote in the ongoing using the Online Voting and Counting System.

Everyone must enroll to be able to cast their ballots online in the ongoing overseas voting for the 2025 general elections in the Philippines.

Registered overseas voters can enrol themselves using their device and visiting  ov.comelec.gov.ph/enroll.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Alternatively, they can go to the OWWA OFW Global Centre on the 18^th floor of United Centre in Admiralty if they need help. The Center is open everyday from 8am onwards tomorrow, May 4 (Sunday) or May 5 (statutory holiday) to accommodate all voters who need help with enrolment.

They must appear in person and bring their Philippine passport  (recognized Philippine IDs and HKIDs may only be used if the passport is not available).

After enrolment they can proceed to vote at any of the kiosks set up at the Center. Voters are reminded that they have only 15 minutes to fill up and cast their votes, so they are encouraged to already have a prepared list of the candidates that they wish to vote for.

Basahin ang detalye!

Those who have enrolled may vote online until 7pm on May 12, when polls close across the Philippines for the mid-term elections.

Overseas Filipinos who are voting online for the first time can choose up to 12 senatorial candidates and one party-list from the list furnished by the Commission on Elections on the ballot itself.

 

 

NAIA security staff told not to touch passports

 

 Security staff at all NAIA terminals should not touch the passports of entering passengers

In what appears to be a determined effort to stamp out the “punit-passport” complaints involving Filipinos travelling out of the Philippines, the Department of Transportation has ordered security personnel to keep their hands off the travel documents of passengers entering any of the terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

Earlier, the DOTr also warned airline companies in a weekend meeting against tampering with the passports of their passengers, after a rash of complaints posted on social media by travelers who said they had been prevented from leaving due to tears in their passports which had not been there before they were presented for check-in.

The one that was shared the most was posted by Diana Natividad, who said her 78-year-old father was stopped from boarding by Cebu Pacific check-in staff who noticed a slight tear in the binding of his passport.

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Even though they were later cleared to fly by another check-in counter and immigration officers, they were still stopped at the boarding gates by other Cebu Pacific personnel.

In an advisory posted on Tuesday, the New Naia Infra Corp (NNIC) told all security personnel at the Manila international airport not to touch the passports of entering passengers when during the verification process.

 “Passengers will simply be asked to show their valid ID or travel document by holding it up themselves,” the advisory added.

Basahin ang detalye!

In most aiports abroad, however, including Hong Kong, anybody can enter aiports freely, and passengers are required to present their passports only when checking in for a flight, eliminating such an unnecessary verification process.

In his meeting with airline representatives earlier, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon warned that any attempt by their personnel to deliberately tear or mutilate passports of passengers to prevent them from flying will not be tolerated.

Dizon said that during the ongoing investigation by the DOTr and the Civil Aeronautics Board, CCTV footages will be inspected, along with actual personal accounts by passengers who claimed to have been victimized.

“If we see reports of these incidents and prove that there are airline personnel behind this scheme, then I am sorry. Sanctions will be imposed on both the airlines and their personnel,”  Dizon stressed.

In Natividad’s case, Cebu Pacific had earlier claimed its check-in staff had checked with airport authorities in Bali, Indonesia, and they were told that the elderly passenger would be prevented from entering even if he was cleared to fly in Manila.

Dizon said part of their investigation will include a check with Bali authorities on the matter.

The DOTr, meanwhile, reminded passengers bound for international flights to always check the validity and condition of their passports before traveling and to consult with passport centers or airport authorities when in doubt.

However, published advisories from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) clearly state that a passport is considered damage only when its physical condition is altered due to wear and tear, aging, negligence, or other factors that leave it mutilated or defective.

A passport is deemed mutilated only if its data page becomes unreadable or if any information is missing.

Clearly, a simple tear in the passport that does not make the passenger information unreadable should not stop anyone from leaving the country.