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PATRIOTS ANSWERS MALACAÑANG-AFP-PNP ACCUSATIONS, CALLS FOR VIGILANCE AS
CANVASSING START
by Patriots
Tuesday, May. 25, 2004 at 11:14 PM
PRESS STATEMENT
May 24, 2004
Patriots wishes to reiterate that it was organized by church people, civic
leaders, health professionals and educators who were impelled by the common
pursuit of peace, justice and good governance. Recognizing that the May 2004
elections is an opportune time to call for meaningful change, we engaged in
voters’ education and articulated the people’s sentiments through a “people’s
agenda” that we presented to the candidates and the public at large.
It is unfortunate that so-called intelligence reports emanating from
Malacañang, the AFP and PNP now identify Patriots as another “communist front”
clearly because we have reported to the public that the significant cases of
voters’ disenfranchisement, vote-buying, vote-shaving, vote-padding, and
military partisanship and intervention in the last elections have clearly
tainted what is supposed to be a democratic exercise.
It is most unfair for Malacañang, AFP and PNP spokespersons to resort to red-
baiting as more and more groups and individuals question the Macapagal-Arroyo
administration’s claim of a peaceful and credible electoral exercise. We also
denounce their insinuations that Patriots is working in favor of the Poe
camp. The May 21 press conference of Patriots was open to the media, civic
and religious groups as well as representatives of the various political
parties. We regret that sensational reporting on the presence of some retired
generals is now being used to sow intrigue against Patriots. For the record,
Patriots stands firm and uncompromising against military adventurism and
political opportunism.
We condemn those who planted, or intend to plant, fake CoCs in the Congress,
Senate and other official places of canvassing. We suspect these and other
fake election documents are intended to be used to manipulate election results
one way or the other and/or spark further controversy and unrest. This is
precisely why Fr. Joe Dizon, Patriots convenor, presented to COMELEC Chairman
Benjamin Abalos the copies of purported CoCs and other questioned election
documents submitted to the group.
Unlike the PPCRV and NAMFREL centers dedicated to doing a quick count and
monitoring problems related to the voting itself, the Patriots monitoring
centers were intended to keep a watchful eye on election-related fraud and
violence. As post election events unfolded, various organizations and
individuals have joined hands with Patriots because they believe in the
credibility and sincerity of the network and want to be a part of its work as
a genuine electoral watchdog.
Far from being “agents of anarchy, we in Patriots will continue to expose and
go against those quarters, whether allied or opposed to the GMA camp, who
intend to utilize the current situation of uncertainty to create chaos and
subvert the people’s will for their self-serving interests. As the canvassing
for the top two government posts begins, we enjoin all Filipinos who love this
country to remain vigilant in asserting their will against the biggest
masterminds and agents of corruption, manipulation and violence in the
country.
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