Foreign observers admire voters tenacity amid harassment, cramped precincts

Six foreign observers who were part of a nationwide monitoring team called International Team Bantay said they were impressed with how the elections in Cebu turned out.

Fil-American Cynthia Domingo said they saw firsthand how Cebuanos traveled far and endured the heat while waiting for their turn to vote in cramped schools that were converted to precincts.

“Voting is the most important component in the democracy. It is the most significant sense of democracy,” she said.

Domingo said they went to Bogo City and Tuburan town and saw some incidents of election violence and harassment.

“We have the difficulty of analyzing the situation between the two rival parties in the areas since both were accusing each other when there would be reported violence,” said Ton Van Naerssen of The Netherlands.

He said they included in their report the hand grenade that was discovered by two children in the old City Hall of Bogo City and a shooting incident in Tuburan town the day before the election.

In Tuburan, they also met six persons who were arrested as suspected goons.

Naerrsen said they also went to Daanbantayan town in the north.

Harrison Ellis of Canada said while there were long, disorganized lines in Daanbantayan Central School, people still voted.

Mayasara Lohse of Denmark said they saw in Sta. Fe town, Bantayan island thatonly a few Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines were serving a large number of voters standing by.

She said they also heard from some candidates that vote-buying was necessary to win the elections.

“For a small amount, people will suffer for three years under corrupt officials,” Ellis said.

Still, the team said they admired the tenacity of Cebuanos to cast their votes and the performance of the PCOS machines.

They said they appreciated the candidates who pushed for election reforms and the efforts of civil society groups to educate voters.

“If we would compare the 2007 and 2010 elections, 2013 was better. It will be an honor to come back here for the 2016 elections,” said Fil-American Dante Garcia.

The observers will submit a copy of their final report to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for accreditation as international watchdogs during election. /Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag