Report: 104 mostly bar patrons arrested on liquor ban

At least 104 people were arrested mostly in videoke bars in Quezon City in the first few hours of a liquor ban that took effect 12:01 a.m. Sunday for the Oct. 25 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. Most of the 104 offenders were arrested in videoke bars and along side streets in residential areas, according to radio dzBB’s Allan Gatus. Police started enforcing the liquor ban at 12:01 a.m. Sunday. The ban ends at midnight Monday. The Commission on Elections on Saturday gave candidates and voters a last-minute reminder on the ban against liquor and campaigning. Teachers’ hotline Meanwhile, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) has set up a hotline for people to report abuses and irregularities and they will encounter as Monday’s elections get underway. Lawyers from the Legal Network for Truthful Elections will receive calls through the hotlines, which will start Sunday night, the teachers’ group said. Callers or texters may report on cases of fraud, harassment, and intimidation, the group said. The contact details include: +6323853437 and +6324543571, +639213808523, +639178944625, and +639228831467, and teachersdignity@yahoo.com.ph (e-mail). Added compensation This weekend, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers or ACT scored President Benigno Aquino III for inaction over the added compensation they were asking for teachers who will serve as board of election tellers (BET) for Monday’s elections. ACT wants the pay of teachers be increased to P4,000 (P2,000 per day) from P2,000 (P1,000 per day). The demand for more pay is justified as the teachers are risking their lives to make sure that the election process goes smooth, ACT said. TDC made a similar last-minute appeal to the President for an additional compensation. The public school teachers wants the per diem increased to P1,500 (or P3,000 for two days) from P1,000.00, as well as P1000 from P500 per SK precinct and a P500 transportation allowance for all Department of Education staff involved in the elections. The TDC also reiterated that election duties of public school teachers should not be compulsory. Because of this, it said its members are serving as poll workers “with high reservation." — JE/VS, GMANEws.TV