Friday, June 15, 2007

WE WILL NOT BE CHEATED!


The statement below appears at the second frontpage of Philippine Daily Inquirer Newspaper today, June 16, 2007.

On the morning of May 20, 2007 the ballot boxes containing the certificate of canvass (CoCs) of Kauswagan, Bacolod, and Maigo towns of Lanao del Norte were tampered. The official investigation of the National Bureau of Invesigation (NBI) reports that said boxes were forcibly opened.

On June 16, 2007 the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) opened these tampered boxes. Indeed, the CoCs inside were found tampered too. The tallies opposite the names of Badelles, Belmonte and Dimaporo were covered with snowpake and new figures were written over it.

Inspite vehement protests, the PBOC proceeded in canvassing using the controversial CoCs.

The canvassed results out of these tampered CoCs showed that the tallies do not coincide with the CoCs held by the minority party, Peoples Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), National Secretariat of Social Action (NASSA) and Namfrel. The tally is statistically improbable based on the total voters’ turnout.

We have held prayer vigils, rallies, and peaceful demonstrations to show that we want the true people’s voice heard.

We are letting the rest of the Filipino people know through this announcement that the people of Lanao del Norte and Iligan city will fight to get the truth out. We are not going to stand idly while our rights are violated.

OUR APPEAL TO THE COMELEC MUST BE HEARD. The tampered municipal certificates of canvass of Kauswagan, Bacolod and Maigo MUST BE EXCLUDED in determining the winning candidate for the 1st Congressional District of Lanao del Norte. Comelec must decide on this immediately.

OUR STUGGLE WILL CONTINUE FOR GENUINE DEMOCRACY!



MOVEMENT FOR TRUTH, JUSTICE AND PEACE
Non-governmental organizations, Peoples Organizations, Religious Groups, Media, Local Government Unit and concern citizens