Foreign poll observers expected the worst but saw better results

When they were assigned to several provinces in the country, foreign election observers from 10 countries expected the worst, given the perceived lack of preparations for the Philippines’ first automated elections.

But their expectations went unfulfilled. Despite noting a number of old poll-related problems, observers said what they witnessed was a tamer scenario — an outcome they considered as "clearly a step forward." "The worst-case scenarios did not materialize. It worked out better than we feared," Swedish observer Tone Tingsgard said at a press conference in Quezon City on Friday. Tingsgard was among 24 other foreigners gathered by Compact for Peaceful Elections (Compact) to carry out a five-day observation of the conduct of the automate polls in the Philippines. The group is composed of members of parliaments, political scientists, development and peace advocates and journalists from the US, Australia, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Burma, Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia. American observer Donald Goertzen said that while violence was present in the monitored provinces, elections in those areas could still be considered “improved." "If you talk to people from those places, they said that at least there was an election," Goertzen said, referring to areas in Mindanao with a history of failure of elections. "In other areas, it was the first time that voting ever happened," said Goertzen, who monitored elections in Maguindanao. Despite the technical problems and imminent threats, foreign observers who participated in Compact's International Observers Mission (IMO) still lauded voters for participating in the elections. "We commend the Filipino people for enthusiastically exercising their democratic right to suffrage. Amid threats and actual acts of violence, possibility of failure of elections, fraud and outright uncertainty due to an automated election system widely criticized, many Filipinos were able to cast their votes and choose their leaders," the group said. The group even praised the Filipinos for enduring an election day that was rather riddled with long lines, malfunctioning counting machines, and cases of disenfranchisement. "We admire the patience of the Filipinos for waiting in line... given that it was one of the hottest days of the year," said Dutch observer Paul Lempens. Same old problems In their monitoring in 24 municipalities in four provinces — namely Maguindanao, Negros Occidental, Pasig City, and Pampanga — the foreign observers noted usual problems that keep hounding Philippine elections, including the lack of voter secrecy, failure to put indelible ink on voters' fingers, and the lack of Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs). "Our group arrived at a consensus that numerous election rules, procedures, and protocols have not been observed and enforced," the observers said in a statement. [See related: Long lines, pre-shaded ballots hound 2010 polls, observers say] The group said there were also incidents in Maguindanao of poll watchers "coaching" voters inside polling precincts. "Secrecy folders were virtually non-existent and it was already exceptional to see BEIs wearing identification cards," Goertzen said. And with the introduction of automated technology in this year's elections, new problems emerged including reports of precinct count optical scan machines either "freezing up or out-and-out breaking down." The group also acknowledged the heavy police and military presence in the areas they observed due to "actual acts of violence." "In fact violence was so real and serious in those areas that fellow observers were forced to abandon observation missions in some municipalities and barangays," the group said. Goertzen said they failed to enter Datu Piang and Salibo towns in Maguindanao to observe because precincts "had literally been shut down." A day before the foreign observers presented their report to media, international watchdog Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) released their own observations of the elections. Like the Compact International Observers Mission, ANFREL, which deployed 39 foreign watchers to 500 polling precincts, observed the reduction of poll-related violence in the first nationwide automated polls. But the watchdog stressed that the climate of fear and fraud was still present in this year's elections. "The very sensitivity of [voters] talking to our observers underlines the climate of fear that exists in the hot spot areas. Nearly everyone interviewed in Marawi City said they were scared and feared for their lives," ANFREL said in its observation report released to the media on Thursday. Participants of Compact's IOM are expected to produce a report on their monitoring and present them both to the international community and the Philippine government. - LBG, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV