National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL)

Volume 3, No. 3 November 30, 2013

))).Namfrel.or'.*! + Elections.or'.*!

NAMFREL tatement on t!e Con"uct of t!e #$%3 &aran'a( Elections

The Barangay Elections conducted on October 28, 2013 passed ith considerable success and as generally peace!ul despite reports o! sporadic violence across the country" The occurrence o! sporadic violence is due to the intense rivalry in local politics" #o ever there are still practices and serious election o!!enses that continue to cast a dar$ shado electoral process" on the

%irst is the impunity and bra&enness o! candidates and their supporters in violating election rules" N'(%)E* abhors the corruption o! voters through rampant vote buying and selling in various !orms and the use o! violence to settle di!!erences and to e+act a in at all cost" One o! the most abused and !re,uently violated o!!enses but o!ten tolerated is the unla !ul electioneering and the abuse o! children" -oliciting votes through the rampant distribution o! sample ballots and campaign paraphernalia have been commonplace inside and around the polling place in direct violation o! -ec" 2.1/$0 'rticle 1122 o! the Omnibus Election 3ode" (ore ob4ectionable is the employ o! minors and children !or these illegal campaigns in direct contravention ith -ec" 3/b0 o! our 3onstitution5 the 6N 3onvention on the )ights o! 3hildren5 the 3hild 7 8outh 9el!are 3ode /:; no" .0305 and )epublic 'ct No" <.10 = -pecial :rotection !or a 3hild 'gainst 'buse, E+ploitation 7 ;iscrimination 'ct5 all o! hich ensure that children have the right to protection !rom abuse and e+ploitation" 2t is ironic that the Barangay 3hairman and its council are some o! those mandated and tas$ed to >le a complaint !or child abuse and e+ploitation" 9e call on the 3omelec to run a!ter these erring candidates, politicians and supporters ho blatantly committed these election o!!enses, and to !ocus on the issues mentioned li$e it has strongly !ocused on illegal and e+cessive posters and other !orms o! illegal campaigning" To ignore them diminishes the sanctity o! the vote and undermines the election process" The impunity by hich they are being committed every election also dares to moc$ not only the elections as a democratic process but also the 3omelec as an institution" N'(%)E* encourages citi&ens to >le s orn statements and a!>davits i! they have personal $no ledge or had e+perienced vote buying, harassment and coercion" The immediate >ling o! cases, ith the 3omelec and local courts, and their eventual prosecution ill sho these violators that they should not tri?e ith the ballot or the election" -econd is the con!usion and chaos resulting !rom missing names in the voters list marred the some hat orderly conduct o! the polls" 2t is incumbent on 3omelec to address and resolve this problem ith >nality by providing an accurate voters list" 2t should continue to purge the list and !ully implement the mandatory biometrics registration la passed early this year to once and !or all generate a reliable, accurate 7 !ully accessible voters list" Thirdly, di!>culties ere also observed !or :9;s, the elderly and pregnant omen in e+ercising their right to vote" To !urther improve access to the polls and prevent their disen!ranchisement, e recommend that public structures, schools and public in!rastructure be compliant ith the la mandating ease and access to :9;s"

The voters list should also be updated to contain the status o! the :9; voter" 3omelec has to ensure that special polling precincts are situated at the ground ?oor o! a polling center" 3omelec@s initiative to set up special polling centers !or :9;s and the elderly is commendable" N'(%)E* encourages the 3omelec to partner ith more merchants and mall o ners to open more o! these special polling centers during elections" On a positive note, N'(%)E* commends the teachers ho served as Board o! Election Tellers /BET0 and the policeAmilitary !or ta$ing on responsibilities above and beyond their deputi&ed duty, such as the police serving as BETs and poll or$ers, to ma$e sure that each voter can e+ercise their right to su!!rage and ensure the success o! the elections" 9ith the rene ed a areness that the Barangay is the >rst line o! government to deliver basic services, there has been a resurgent public interest and accompanying scrutiny on the barangay o!>cials and their per!ormance" 's one o! the >rst acts to establish the trust and con>dence ith their constituents, N'(%)E* ould li$e to remind these ne ly elected o!>cials /as ell as losing candidates0 to >le and disclose their contributions and e+penses incurred during the campaign period" 3ompliance to the %air Elections la and campaign >nance regulations is a positive step to ards Transparency B one o! the hallmar$s o! good governance" To be consistent ith the move to automate :hilippine elections and ease the di!>culty o! conducting a manual election, e recommend to 3omelec and various sta$eholders to study the !easibility o! synchroni&ing the ne+t Barangay Elections ith the 201. National 7 *ocal elections"

NAMFREL cele,rates its 3$t! anniversar( an" inau'urates t!e &anta( n' &a(an A)ar"s

2n commemoration o! its 30th year, the National 3iti&ens@ (ovement !or %ree Elections held a Than$sgiving (ass on October 2., 2013 at the National -hrine o! the ;ivine 3hild at *a -alle Creen #ills in (andaluyong 3ity, simultaneous ith similar prayer services held by N'(%)E* chapters in ma4or cities nation ide" Being t o days be!ore the barangay elections, the day@s activities also served as a (assAprayer services !or the peace!ul holding o! the polls" The (ass at *a -alle Creen #ills as o!>ciated by Bishop )amon B" Dillena, ;";" o! Bayombong, a N'(%)E* pioneer, and as attended by !ello N'(%)E* pioneers and volunteers past and present" ' traditional N'(%)E* *ightB'B3andle ceremony as also held, led by current N'(%)E* National 3hairperson 3ora&on ;ela :a&BBernardo" ;uring the event, N'(%)E* also gave out the inaugural Bantay ng Bayan ' ards" The ' ard is given to individuals or organi&ations that embody the values o! N'(%)E*, recogni&ing their achievements in electoral re!orm and good governance advocacy, and ho continue to ma$e signi>cant e!!orts in bringing the same to their o n community andAor pro!ession, in the :hilippines andAor beyond" 2nitially, recipients o! the Bantay ng Bayan ' ard are past and present N'(%)E* volunteers instrumental in the !ounding and strengthening o! N'(%)E* and electoral re!orm advocacy in the country"

The eight recipients o! the 2013 Bantay ng Bayan ' ards areE 1" Fose -" 3oncepcion, Fr" B N'(%)E* %ounding 3hairperson G%or !ounding the National 3iti&ensH (ovement !or %ree Elections thirty years ago5 !or or$ing to restore the right o! the %ilipino people to !ree, clean, and honest elections5 !or empo ering the citi&ens to demand !ree, clean, and honest elections so that their true ill in the electoral process ill prevail5 !or inspiring the citi&ens to the !act that achieving !ree, clean, and honest elections demands vigilance, hard or$, and sacri>ce5 !or leading the citi&enBvolunteers in ensuring !ree, clean and honest elections, even at great ris$ to his li!e and business holdings5 and !or pioneering the concept o! election monitoring that inspired and is no being practiced in 1II countriesJ 2" Dicente )" Fayme /posthumous a ard0 B !ormer N'(%)E* DiceB3hairperson and -enior 'dviser5 BishopsBBusinessmen@s 3on!erence /BB30 3oB%ounder5 !ormer 'sian ;evelopment Ban$ /';B0 E+ecutive ;irector5 !ormer -ecretary o! %inance G%or helping spearhead a national movement o! citi&ens to ensure honest and !air elections, at a time o! great ris$5 !or recogni&ing the role that business could play in human development and ho corporate social responsibility could trans!orm :hilippine society BB !or people not only to Khave moreK but Kbe moreKBB leading both businesses and community to action5 and !or leading an inspiring li!e dedicated to democracy, responsibility, e+cellence, and !amilyJ 3" 3hristian -" (onsod B !ormer N'(%)E* -ecretary Ceneral and 3hairperson5 !ormer 3O(E*E3 3hairperson5 *egal Net or$ !or Truth!ul Elections /*ENTE0 %ounder5 current 3oB DiceB3hairperson, BishopsBBusinessmen@s 3on!erence /BB30

Cagayan de Oro City

G%or helping plant the seeds o! and nurture volunteerism in the country in the >eld o! election monitoring5 !or bringing into public service the cause o! !ree and !air elections by instituting lasting re!orms geared to ards more transparent elections and a strengthened election commission5 and !or continuously upholding the spirit o! democracy and volunteerism in business and in the la pro!essionJ I" 'ugusto 3" *agman B !ormer N'(%)E* -ystems 3ommittee 3hairperson5 !ormer 3O(E*E3 3ommissioner5 !ormer :resident, :hilippine 3omputer -ociety /:3-05 3onvenor, (ovement !or Cood Covernance G%or leading N'(%)E*Hs pioneering Operation Luic$ 3ount, the orldHs >rst citi&enBled parallel national vote count tabulation5 !or championing the use o! technology to ards more transparent, accurate, and costBe!>cient vote tabulation and consolidation5 !or actively encouraging cooperation bet een the private sector, civil society, and the election commission5 and !or continuously advocating !or a more transparent and e!>cient election process in the :hilippines in the interest o! strengthening the credibility o! the results and the election administrationJ M" 3oncerned 3iti&ens o! 'bra !or Cood Covernment /33'CC0 B N'(%)E*B'bra chapter coordinator5 citi&en atchdog idely recogni&ed !or its independent monitoring o! local elections, government pro4ects, !or advocating environment conservation, !or activities related to relie! operations, peace and order, capacityB building, good governance, transparency, among many others" 2n 200M, its 3hairperson :ura -umangil as nominated !or the Nobel :eace :ri&e as part o! the 1000 :eace 9omen ac$no ledging their or$ in peace building all over the orld" G%or being a model N'(%)E* chapter !or three decades5 !or being ahead o! its time in the >eld o! good governance through groundbrea$ing pro4ects on government service and per!ormance monitoring and other notable development or$, in a challenging environment and political climate5 !or being an inspiring e+ample o!

hat individuals can do hen bound by courage and dedication, e!!ecting change in their communities, and plotting and ta$ing control o! their o n destinyJ ." 'teneo de Namboanga 6niversity B N'(%)E*BNamboanga 3ity chapter coordinator5 training ground !or responsible community leaders5 through its -ocial ' areness and 2nvolvement /-'3-20 o!>ce, leads in organi&ing and deployment o! volunteers during elections and in relie! e!!orts during times o! tragedy G%or being a model institution, utili&ing academic e+cellence in the service o! the community5 !or upholding the spirit o! volunteerism by regularly mobili&ing students and ordinary citi&ens !or ensuring !ree and !air elections, among other advocacies5 and !or being a bastion o! social a areness and community involvement in a challenging environmentJ <" (ariano -" Luesada B !ormer N'(%)E* Ceneral 3oordinator and -ecretary Ceneral G%or reali&ing the need and initiating the call !or the establishment o! a citi&enBled advocacy !or !ree elections as the only peace!ul means !or change5 !or coB!ounding the National 3iti&ensH (ovement !or %ree Elections, at the ris$ to business and !amily5 and !or his pioneering e!!orts to share N'(%)E*Hs vision and the :hilippine e+perience in election monitoring to other countries as a capacityBbuilding trainer and election observerJ

Laoag City

8" ;amaso C" (agbual B N'(%)E*@s current (embers 3ommittee 3hairman and !ormer N3) 3hairperson5 'sian Net or$ !or %ree Elections /'N%)E*0 3hairperson #e has been a N'(%)E* volunteer since 1O83, and has served as a resource person, trainer and consultant on election monitoring, electoral systems and administration in more than a do&en countries since 1O8<" (r" (agbual is the current 3hairperson o! the Bang$o$Bbased 'sian Net or$ !or %ree Elections /'N%)E*0" G%or helping plant the seeds o! and nurture volunteerism in the country in the >eld o! election monitoring5 !or promoting !ree and !air elections in 'sia and beyond5 and !or inspiring li$eBminded citi&ens in other countries to ta$e up the cause that N'(%)E* started and !orm a democracyBcentered movement o! their o nJ -ince 1O83, N'(%)E* has been bringing together %ilipinos o! all sectors to or$ to help revive and sustain democracy in the country by sa!eguarding the integrity o! the vote, and later on also through activities in line ith good governance" N'(%)E* is the ac$no ledged orld pioneer in the conduct o! a citi&enBled parallel vote tabulation, $no n locally as the Operation Luic$ 3ount" 2nternationally, N'(%)E* has inspired li$eBminded organi&ations to set up their o n election monitoring activities in their o n countries, ith N'(%)E* volunteers and o!>cers actively engaging international counterparts to help initiate programs similar to those o! N'(%)E* in the :hilippines"

Naga City

*eec!+-omil( of -is E.cellenc( Most Rev. Ramon &. Villena, /./. &is!o* of &a(om,on'
N'(%)E* 30th 'nniversary Than$sgiving (ass, October 2., 2013 National -hrine o! the ;ivine 3hild, *a -alle Creen #ills, (andaluyong 3ity

3ongratulations to N'(%)E*, congratulations to us" N'(%)E* is not 4ust a name, it is a story, it is history, made up o! people abounding in love o! CO; and country, ith deep commitment, undying spirit o! sacri>ce, and even !earless martyrdom" 9e are gathered together to celebrate the 30th !ounding anniversary o! N'(%)E*, our anniversary" The motto and mantra o! N'(%)E*, G2t is better to light a candle, than to curse the dar$nessJ is a recurring re!rain that inspires every one o! us ho have volunteered through the years through thic$ or thin, in danger and in peace, in abundance and in ant and many more" )emembering the history o! N'(%)E*, is remembering the story o! each o! us organi&ation since its inception" ho have 4ourneyed ith the

'm sure all o! us have our o n story to tell" Our celebration this a!ternoon is enriched by our o n e+periences and stories, told and untold" To celebrate the 30th anniversary o! N'(%)E* is to tell her story li$e telling our o n" :lease allo me to share ith you my short N'(%)E* story"

's a young Bishop, 2 as assigned in (indanao !or more than 3 years" They ere the challenging years that made me stronger, more committed and more convinced that e needed then to act and move to liberate us !rom the many !ears that !ro&e us and $nots that bound us as a nation, as a people" The atmosphere that prevailed then as cramped and su!!ocating" There ere t o $inds o! HairH that prevailed in the atmosphere" One as the seemingly H!ree airH that the po ersBthatBbe ere inhaling5 the other as a Hstale airH that su!!ocated many o! the voiceless, !ear!ul %ilipinos" 2 am blessed and privileged to serve as an active volunteer, as ;iocesan 3hair since the beginning" The ?ame in me has begun hen the 3iti&ens National Electoral 'ssembly /3NE'0 as born" The seed o! %ilipino patriotism has been planted in every volunteer and up to this day, e remember those ho have nurtured this seed ith their o n blood" 9e remember our o n volunteer in the ;iocese o! Bayombong, Cerry Tapas, o! good memory, o! Belance, ;upa+ del Norte, ho as $illed during election" #e is 4ust one o! the N'(%)E* heroes e are remembering and dedicating this anniversary" The crucial snap presidential election o! 1O8. as one de>ning moment !or N'(%)E*" The event as the start o! the riting o! the ne lea! in the history o! the :hilippines" :eople and events have stamped the indelible mar$ o! N'(%)E* in the :hilippines, especially in our politically history" This as the spar$ that lighted the candle, the light o! *ove" The simple light blended become a ?ame o! hope !or and in our country" The light that has been started ith the *ight o! Cod, has

ill continue since this light is no inside the heart o! each N'(%)E* volunteer" ith the !east e are commemorating today"

This year, as e celebrate the year o! !aith, is a >tting blend

2ndeed, no one and no amount o! trial and challenges can e+tinguish the light o! N'(%)E* because it is in con>dence ith the light o! Cod, the light o! %'2T#" (ay Cod conttinue to pour #is blessing in each o! us" ('B6#'8, N'(%)E*P Q)'(ON B" D2**EN', ;"; Bishop, ;iocese o! Bayombong October 2., 2013

-omil(
9hen 2 as assigned as 'u+illiary bishop o! Tagum in the 1O80Hs, my passion !or 4ustice and peace as a a$ened" 2t as there that 2 as !aced ith li!eHs realities and struggles o! our brothers and sisters" 's my memory tells me, it as there that 2 started to involve mysel! more passionately to >ght !or the rights o! our

people" 2t as also in Tagum that 2 started to be actively involved in the mission and 3iti&ens@ (ovement !or %ree Elections or N'(%)E*"

or$s o! the National

;uring that time, the process o! election in Tagum as not that !ree and peace!ul" Fust li$e hat is happening still today, politicians ere employing all sorts o! means 4ust to in the election" 6n!ortunately, this $ind o! dirty politics leads to nothing but the sacri>ce o! precious li!e and relationships" #o can 2 !orget the violent and regrettable death o! 2reneo (agbanuaR #e as a N'(%)E* volunteer o! -an Dicente, ;avao del Norte" #e as violently $illed on account o! protecting the sanctity o! the ballot" 9hen 2 as assigned to the ;iocese o! Bayombong, 2 carried ith me my advocacy and passion !or peace and 4ustice" Every election time, as their bishop and pastor, 2 commit in my capacity to >ght !or the sanctity o! the ill o! the people" 2 al ays see$ the partnership and assistance o! the N'(%)E*" 2n my diocese, there are many N'(%)E* volunteers ho give themselves to protect and guard the votes o! the people" There are many ho are illing to sacri>ce their time, e!!ort and talent !or the sale o! the ballot" #o can 2 also !orget one N'(%)E* hero in my diocese hose li!e he dedicated, all !or the sa$e o! the peopleHs vote" #is name is Tanas" #e is a member o! the indigenous tribe in the (unicipality o! ;upa+ del Norte, Nueva Di&caya" #is death paved the ay to the search and proclamation o! truth" -ince my early years as a bishop until no , 2 believe and continue to support the mission and ministry o! the National 3iti&ens@ (ovement !or %ree Elections" 2n N'(%)E*, 2 am a itness to countless ordinary citi&ens ho are illing to sacri>ce their time and li!e all !or the sa$e o! upholding the ill o! the people" 8es, 2 can never !orget )odrigo :once, Faime 'lcala, %ructoso Favines, 'le+is :arao, and many other martyrs and heroes ho are illing to volunteer to die !or the sa$e o! this country" 9e can also never !orget all other countless !ello %ilipinos ho are volunteering to 4oin us in this noble tas$ o! protecting our votes every election times" *et us remember, they are volunteers" 2t means to say, they are never paid" But in their humble and ordinary means, they o!!er their lives !or the sa$e o! this country and its citi&ens" 2s this not their ay o! lighting their one little candle" %rom these heroes, martyrs and many other volunteers, e can never stumble in the dar$" 9e can never curse dar$ness""" but as %ilipinos, e light our o n little candle to guide us on our ay to ards peace, 4ustice and prosperity" 's e gather today to celebrate the anniversary o! N'(%)E*, e remember in a special ay all our brothers and sisters ho are brave and generous enough to light their candles every election time" 9e remember our heroes and martyrs" 9e remember their humility to dedicate themselves !reely ithout e+pecting !or any returns" (ay their humble death, volunteerism and passion inspire and en?ame us to continue to light even 4ust one little candle than to curse the dar$ness" Throughout its e+istence to protect and de!end the %ilipino peopleHs ill, N'(%)E* and the many unnamed volunteers teach us all the value o! humility" %rom its beginnings, !rom the sense o! volunteerism, even to its process o! securing votes, N'(%)E* is propelled and !orti>ed by humility" Because o! this, 2 believe that the good *ord is at our side""" #e is ith us in our noble tas$ and mission" #e sustains us to live this long !or the good and bene>t o! our %ilipino people" N'(%)E* is the mission o! every citi&en""" much more, this is the movement o! our poor people" 's such, the *ord is ith us because as the :salmist reminds us, GThe *ord hears the cry o! the poor"J N'(%)E* ill al ays go along the history o! our country as long as there are humble volunteers and supporters li$e you and 2" 's e continue our 4oy!ul anniversary celebrations, may the lessons o! our gospel and also o! N'(%)E* $eep us rooted in our beginnings" (ay it enable us to be grounded as e remember all those ordinary %ilipinos" (ay it enable us to be grounded as e remember all those ordinary %ilipinos ho sacri>ced their precious lives !or the sanctity o! the ballot" (ay it al ays $eep us humble" 's the gospel arns us, G%or everyone ho e+alts himsel! ill be humbled, and the one ho humbles himsel! ill be e+altedPJ This is best e+pressed in the motto o! N'(%)E*E G2t is better to light a candle, than to curse the dar$nessPJ 2t is only in humility that e can truly light our candles""" it is only in humility that e can volunteer and commit ourselves to >ght !or our peopleHs ill""" it is only in humility that e can truly be e+alted in our noble mission and tas$ as de!enders o! the peopleHs illP 'men"

M(anmar election sta0e!ol"ers "ialo'ue )it! 1!ili**ine counter*arts

(embers o! the (yanmar /Burma0 6nion Election 3ommission as ell as representatives !rom civil society ere in the country !rom -eptember 22B2< !or a study trip sponsored by 2%E- :hilippines to dialogue ith their counterparts and to connect ith electoral peers" 'ccording to 2%E-, the activity as also held Gto provide the opportunity to understand obstacles and opportunities !acing the democratic process in other countries and gain valuable insights into approaches to overcome these obstacles !rom their peers" To accomplish this goal, a $no ledgeBsharing meeting as held on the 2.th ith members o! :hilippine election monitoring organi&ations, the media, and other nonBgovernment organi&ations" The guests !rom (yanmar ere particularly interested to learn !rom their :hilippine counterparts the procedures and activities pertaining to the code o! conduct observed during elections, voters education /speci>cally about hen they are being done0, any election rules pertaining to religion, the conduct o! byBelections / hich the :hilippines does not have0, and voting !or :9;s" The guests ere also interested to learn about the :hilippine 3onstitutionHs provisions on elections, as ell as campaign regulations and campaign >nance" On the topic o! the election commission or$ing closely ith election monitoring groups, N'(%)E* council member ;amaso (agbual stressed the importance o! seeing each other as partners, or$ing together and having regular dialogue, and harmoni&ing each other@s calendar o! activities" 2n Fuly, (r" (agbual, as chairman o! the 'sian Net or$ !or %ree Elections /'N%)E*0, met ith 6 Tin 'ye, 3hie! Election 3ommissioner o! (yanmar and the rest o! the commissioners and election directors to tal$ about the 201M elections in (yanmar as ell as plans to monitor the process"

2!e Cam,o"ian Election

by ;amaso C" (agbual, (ember, N'(%)E* National 3ouncil 3hairperson, 'sian net or$ !or %ree Elections /'N%)E*0
'N%)E* deployed a team o! eight e+perts !rom si+ Mr. Magbual in Myanmar 'sian countries headed by this riter, to observe the :arliamentary Elections in 3ambodia on Fuly 28, 2013" Our >ndings ere presented to a group o! diplomats !rom the European 6nion /1M embassies represented0 in Bang$o$, Thailand, hosted by the - iss Embassy" 'mong the most positive development as the signi>cant decrease in electoral violence compared to past elections" -everal interlocutors credited the active participation o! 3ambodia@s youth !or much o! the more peace!ul situation" 's one said, G6nli$e their elders, they re4ect violence as a means o! resolving con?icts in the electoral processJ" 2t as estimated that the youth represented more than 3MS o! the registered voters" :olitical -ituation There as a relatively idespread consensus that the country has slid bac$ ards democratically !or the past ten years" 2t has come under a uni>ed control o! the ruling party /3::0" 3ambodia is no a de !acto oneBparty system that can be credited to the older generation o! party leaders having gro n up ith a 3ommunistA(aoist mindset" The party@s control over all branches o! government and democratic institutions has an obvious and undeniably harm!ul e!!ect on the country@s elections"

'mong the most compromised institutions, the 4udicial system has been almost completely undermined and e+ists primarily as a venue here political connections or >nancial resources are the sole determinants o! the courts@ decisions" The courts have been used as a eapon o! repression against opposition party leaders, independent voices in the media, amongst many others" 3onse,uently, election sta$eholders have no con>dence or e+pectation that the courts can play their proper role in electoral dispute resolution"

The National Election 3ommittee /NE30 The NE3 has long been a highly politici&ed body" 2t is !ar !rom e+hibiting the independence, impartiality and neutrality e+pected o! an election body" )ecommendations by domestic as ell as international observers on the recruitment, selection and appointment o! NE3 3ommissioners a!ter each electoral e+ercise since1OO8 have been ignored by the legislature and calls !or greater autonomy and pro!essionalism !rom the NE3 have similarly !allen on dea! ears" Basic 2ssues )aised :roblems ith the voters@ list ere the most discussed, studied, and critici&ed aspect o! the NE3@s preparation" The inaccuracies o! the voters@ list created a number o! harm!ul e!!ects, namely, direct disen!ranchisement o! voters ho registered but their names ere not in the list5 the opportunity !or !raud given the incorrect and duplicate names that ere !ound in the list5 serious harm on the public@s con>dence on the legitimacy o! the election" The NE3 printed over 2". million or 2<S e+cess ballots, a number !ar e+ceeding accepted norms and standards in established democracies" No actual 4usti>cation as given e+cept that the NE3 Gprint ballots in boo$s o! M0s and to provide ade,uate e+cess ballots to every polling stationJ" Civen that the NE3 o!>cials are not trusted and the voters@ list have e+cess names, the high number o! e+tra ballots, contributed to an erosion o! public trust in the election" The NE3 introduced a notorious invention called G2denti>cation 3ard !or the ElectionJ /23E0" 23Es ere issued by the commune leaders to voters ith no identi>cation cards to enable them to vote" The issuance o! so many 23E cards created a !ear o! signi>cant !raud since the commune leaders ho issued them ere mostly partisans o! the ruling party" This election sa the issue o! ethnic Dietnamese voters, citi&ens and nonBciti&ens, become a highly controversial topic" 'ccusations ran rampant that on election day, groups o! Dietnamese ere bussed in to vote !or the ruling party" (edia The media in 3ambodia tilts heavily to ards the ruling party" 'll the television stations are government o ned, the vast ma4ority o! radio stations are government o ned and the leading Thmer language daily is o ned by one sympathetic to the ruling party" ' revealing e+ample o! media bias as the coverage surrounding opposition leader -am )ainsy@s return to the country !rom e+ile" 2t as an event herein thousands o! people too$ to the streets but there as no coverage on TD or in the ne spapers" (ost 4ournalists or$ in an environment o! e+plicit censorship" The (inistry o! 2n!ormation@s regulations remain a constant threat o! being sued and tried in a biased court system" *oo$ing 'head *ocal analysts shared the opinion, be!ore and a!ter the election, that change is !orthcoming" The election results here the ruling party lost 22 seats, rein!orces the same message" There are a number o! social and economic !actors that ill hasten change" 1" The gro ing ine,uality in the distribution o! ealth has become more pronounced under the ruling party" 2t is said that more than hal! o! the population live on less than t o dollars a day" 2" The increasing militancy o! the youth as e+pressed in the last election party that their clamour !or change can no longer be ignored" ould be a a$eBup call to the ruling

3" The in4ustices perpetrated by the ruling elite and condoned by the courts cannot last !orever" The issue o! land grabs is perhaps the most glaring e+ample though there are many others li$e the ad4udication and resolution o! electoral disputes"

I" The issue o! ethnic Dietnamese /no 3ambodian citi&ens0 as ell as the Dietnamese migrant or$ers hom the 3ambodians see as ta$ing a ay 4obs and business opportunities !rom them, is a very sensitive one that !eeds on the emotions o! the ethnic Thmers particularly amongst the youth" The general public perceive the government as tolerating their presence and even !avouring them"

National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) 6nit .01 ;(C 3enter, ;omingo (" Cuevara -t" corner 3albayog E+t" (andaluyong 3ity, :hilippines 1MM0 9ebsitesE "nam!rel"org"ph A "elections"org"ph EmailE secretariatUnam!rel"com"ph TA%E .3B2BI<0"I1M1
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