Babae, Bantayan ang Eleksyon (BaBaE!) Network, an alliance of women leaders and organizations that monitor fraud and violence during elections, unites with other election watchdogs to seal a commitment to watch fervently the 2019 Midterm National Elections on Monday, May 13.
Dubbed as “Our Vote, Our Voice: Poll Watchdogs’ Pact for a Transparent and Credible Elections”, the gathering is a rare opportunity to bring together election watchdogs. These include Kontra Daya, Worker’s Electoral Watch (WE Watch), Automated Election System Watch (AES Watch), and National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL).
“Protecting the elections is not easy, especially when cheating, vote-buying, and political violence have become a norm. Collective effort is a requirement. As poll watchdogs, we need to work together and commit to fight electoral fraud and any attempt to disrupt elections,” Mary Joan Guan, executive director of Center for Women’s Resources and convenor of BaBaE! Network says.
“We may have different nature and background, but our goal is very clear: we all demand for democratic, transparent, accountable, credible, peaceful, and fraud-free elections,” Guan adds.
The poll watchdogs insist that the Vote Counting Machines (VCMs) – formerly known as PCOS (Precinct Count Optical Scanner) – still lack the basic safeguards to ensure an accurate vote recording and counting. Yet, COMELEC remains adamant in its refusal for a genuine source code review. Coupled with the unreliability of vote transmissions, the automated election system (AES) is feared to disenfranchise millions of voters who will not be able to vote as a result of the biometrics system.
BaBaE! Network identifies the mode of 4Gs during elections – guns, goons, gold, and girls – used by traditional politicians to remain in power. Violence becomes a norm especially for women who actively participate in the campaigns.
At the close of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) voting on May 14, 2018, the Philippine National Police reported that 35 individuals have been killed in incidents of suspected poll-related violence. Meanwhile, as the May 2019 elections draw near, 33 have already been killed since January 13 in Central Luzon alone.
In February, BaBaE! Network monitored about 12 mayors and seven vice-mayors killed under the Duterte administration. Family members and many unnamed and uncounted individuals – many of whom are staff, security aides and drivers – were also killed and became mere collateral damage.
Likewise, officers and leaders of progressive women”s political parties are subjects of political persecution, red-tagging, and vilification by state forces.
“We call on to the public, to the voters to help us in monitoring irregularities, fraudulent activities, and any form of violence by reporting it to us. We have our respective lines of communication, I hope the public takes advantage of that. As we protect our votes, we bring our voices together to get the kind of government, the leaders we all deserve,” Guan maintains.
As for BaBaE! Network, information and assistance booths will be set up in selected areas in National Capital Region, especially in areas that are vote-rich or that have history of fraudulent activities. The network is also open to accepting volunteers who will help operate the booths. The public may report any irregularities, fraudulent activities, or electoral violence to BaBaE! Network through these hotlines: (Globe) 0977-2946937 or (Smart) 0920-5956245.
