TACLOBAN CITY – To ensure honest and orderly elections come the May 14 polls, and avoid “dagdag bawas” way of cheating, 85 Dioceses all over the country have formed themselves into a Social Action Network in corporation with the National Movement for Free Election (NAMFREL).
This was revealed by Sister Rossane Mallilin, CBCP-NASSA Executive Secretary during a press conference with the local media held at the VIP Lounge of the DZR Airport immediately upon her arrival from Manila. She was joined by Most Rev. Jose Palma, Archbishop of the Diocese of Palo; Director Adolfo Ibaňez, COMELEC regional office; and other personalities from the church’s Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV).
According to Mallilin, this multi religious coalition including Muslim groups is targeting one million volunteers nationwide that are to be assigned in different precincts throughout the country and up to remotest Barangay unit to closely watch the counting of votes.
“We will not leave any single precinct in the entire country unnamed by our people and volunteers just to ensure that the counting of votes is exact and without any cheating,” Mallilin said.
The coalition, according to Mallilin, is duly accredited by the Commission on Elections and it will keep an eye to the municipal, provincial, regional, and national canvass and up to the final canvass to safeguard the votes for every candidate. The group has also a battery of lawyers, as it was able to have linkage with numerous lawyers led by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
Here in Eastern Visayas, the coalition for this purpose has started activities though a motorcade around the city followed by a voter’s education program held at the VOR Hall of DWU, now Liceo del Verbo Divino.
Asked on would the coalition accept financial assistance from candidates themselves, Mallilin answered in a big NO Way saying that they will not accept in anyway money from the candidates’ camp because it will adulterate the purpose of the coalition. She said, they, in the coalition and friends, are just pulling funding from their own pockets to sustain the organization and its activities up to the end of the elections.
Ronald Macaraig, PPCRV Coordinator Organizer, told this writer that different youth organization and faithful, and other church group joined the launching. The same group then proceeded to Ormoc City for the same activity, it was learned.
