PIA News Service - Friday, May 14, 2010

Liberal Party bets in Butuan City dominate local electoral posts

BUTUAN CITY (14 May 2010) – Candidates of the Liberal Party here dominated in the city’s top positions during the May 10, 2010 elections.

Dr. Ferdinand “Jun” Amante wins mayoralty post over his close opponent, former Mayor Leonides Theresa Plaza with 8,927 votes. Amante, who was proclaimed at around 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 12 garnered 65,663 votes or 66.63% in the Official Comelec tally while Plaza garnered 56,736 or 33.37%.

In the vice-mayoralty post, Atty. Lawrence Lemuel Fortun who is also one of the city councilors here bested incumbent Vice-Mayor Dino Claudio Sanchez by a matter of 25,646 votes. Fortun got 70,417 votes or 60.48% while Sanchez has 44,771 or 45.92% of the total number of casted votes.

Meanwhile, LAKAS-KAMPI-CMD bet and incumbent Congressman Jose “Joboy” Aquino successfully seeks his second term in the 1st District of Agusan del Norte and Butuan City. He bested Liberal Party’s bet, Atty. Jijil Jimenez by 39,385 votes. Cong. Aquino has 78,902 or 66.63% while Atty. Jimenez garnered 39,517 or 33.37% votes.

It can be recalled that the proclamation of the three were delayed due to one of the PCOS machines that was used in Brgy. Imadejas here, where the main memory card as well as its back-up card, both, did not function.

In an interview with PIA, Ms. Janet Cahiwat, Board of Election Inspector of the precinct said when the precinct opened at around 7:00 in the morning on May 10, the proceedings went on smoothly until at around 11:20 a.m., the PCOS machine did not function anymore. She admitted that there is an incompatibility of the machine and the memory cards as it appeared on the machine’s LCD monitor the error message: “Election finds memory card and back-up card do not match”.

When the error was not patch-up, the City Board of Canvassers composed of Atty. Fritzie Claire Casiño, City Prosecutor Felixberto Guiritan, and Ms. Marilou Dedumo decided for a manual counting. Luckily, the PCOS machine that was brought inside the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall suddenly function with the repaired/reformatted memory card of Brgy. Imadejas installed on it. Thus, the automated counting continued right there.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod now shared a 50-50 percentage of the winning candidates coming from the Administration and the Liberal Party.

Second termer Councilor Erwin Dano of the Liberal Party again topped the list with 61,763 votes. He is followed by Liberal Party bet and former councilor Ryan Anthony Culima with 57,657 votes. On the third post is second termer Councilor Josephine Marticion-Salise of LAKAS-KAMPI-CMD with 55,635 votes, followed by former Vice-Mayor Angie Calo of the Liberal Party who garnered 54,970 votes.

Completing the list of newly-elected City Councilors with their corresponding number of votes include: Randolph Plaza (LAKAS-KAMPI-CMD) – 53,729; Ramon Carampatana (LAKAS-KAMPI-CMD) – 49,359; Audie Bernabe (LAKAS-KAMPI-CMD) – 48,232; Jaime Cembrano (Liberal Party) – 41,925; Raul Amoc (LAKAS-KAMPI-CMD) – 41,324 AND; 10. Dr. Virgilio Nery Jr. (Liberal Party) – 40,735 votes.

More than a decade, Butuan City was headed and managed by the Plazas, from incumbent Mayor Democrito “Boy Daku” Plaza II to former Mayor Daisy Plaza, then back to Mayor Boy Daku.

With the new leadership under Mayor Ferdinand Amante and Vice-Mayor Lawrence Lemuel Fortun, the duo promised during their campaign sorties to transform Butuan into a more developed and an economic capital of Caraga Region.

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Like their local counterparts, Liberal Party standard-bearer Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino and Vice-Presidential bet Manuel “Mar” Roxas also dominated not only in Butuan City but as well as the whole Caraga Region. (Robert E. Roperos, PIA-Caraga)

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The inside story . . .
“Mayor sets a record in local elections”

Incumbent mayor Antonio Tupas Borda, Jr. of Carmen, Surigao del Sur sets a record in local elections after winning the mayoralty race in the recently concluded automated national and local elections against his opponent the incumbent municipal vice-mayor Algerico Guardo Guiral, who tried to unseat him from office by filing multiple charges of grave misconduct, abuse of authority and usurpation of function cases in the office of the Ombudsman along with some Sangguniang Bayan members in the opposition party.

Mayor Borda’s landslide victory is a record setting considering that for the very first time in the municipality of Carmen’s history an administration’s candidate won in barangay Poblacion known to be an opposition barangay with a considerable margin proving true the slogan of the opposition “Panahon na sa Kausaban” (Time for Change) because the barangay people had finally changed their minds and hearts by supporting the administration’s bets instead of the opposition ones as mayor Borda would jokingly say. This is the very first time that a mayoralty candidate won in all thirteen clustered precincts in all the eight barangays comprising the municipality.

During the campaign period issues questioning the accomplishments of his administration, the filing of cases in the Ombudsman and even personal issues were thrown to his face but in the campaign rallies and sorties he was very cool in answering all of those by presenting documents that proved his innocence for all the allegations and charges.

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In his successful bid for reelection the young and very supportive mayor of Carmen is determined to pursue the implementation of the temporarily shelved projects of the local government unit including the construction of the new municipal government center and push forward for development by seeing to it that basic services are effectively and efficiently delivered to everyone.

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His reelection proved once again that nobody could ever put a good person like mayor Borda down. (Nathaniel G. Garas, CPA, CDIO-Designate, Carmen/ PIA-Caraga)

PIA News Service - Thursday, May 13, 2010

PGMA set to inspect, inaugurate P152-M Sayak Airport development project

DAPA, Siargao Island – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is set to inaugurate and inspect on Friday (May 14) the P152-million Sayak Airport Development Project (SADP) at Dapa town, Siargao Island. 

Surigao del Norte solon Rep. Francisco T. Matugas said the Chief Executive will inspect some of the facilities at the P92-million Sayak Airport and inaugurate the 7.397-kilometer Dapa-Del Carmen road that also connects the new airport, with a total project cost of P152 million. 

He also said Mrs. Arroyo, accompanied by nine municipal mayors and their respective local officials, will have an inaugural drive-thru near the Dapa-Cancohoy Road-Section part of the Sayak Airport. 

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Director Dr. Evelyn T. Barroso said the Sayak Airport Development Project was funded under the DPWH regular infrastructure fund. 

Some of the projects started late 2008 and are targeted to be completed before President Arroyo steps down in June. 

Rep. Matugas said in the inspection and inauguration of the SADP projects, the President will also be accompanied by some Cabinet officials led by Public Works and Highways Secretary Victor Domingo. 

Mrs. Arroyo will be welcomed here by Dapa Mayor Peter “Boy” Ruaya and Del Carmen Mayor Bully Navarro. 

Matugas said this SADP project is a big boost to the tourism industry in the province. “More tourists, both foreign and domestic mean more income and employment to our locality,” he said. 

This Siargao Island is already known as the “international surfing and “international fishing hub” the past five years, it was gathered. (MUC/PIA-Caraga)


Tremor shakes Butuan City, nearby cities

BUTUAN CITY - Residents in this region’s capital city went into panic when a 4 magnitude earthquake struck 10:11 a.m. Thursday. 

As this developed, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Caraga region is still checking if the tremor caused any injuries or damages. 

“Our men in the field are still verifying if there are inflicted injuries or damages during the incident,” said Region 13 OCD Regional Director Dr. Blanche T. Gobenciong. 

The OCD official said the various city, provincial and municipal disaster coordinating councils were already mobilized to monitor of any damages or injuries. 

However, there is no immediate report of any damages or injuries. 

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the epicenter was recorded 36 kilometers north, north west of Butuan City. 

The tremor was also felt at 4 magnitude in nearby Cabadbaran City and Surigao City. 

It was recalled that on Monday a 4.1 magnitude earthquake also hit Butuan City. 

The epicenter on Monday's tremor was also located 38 kilometers of this city, Phivolcs added. (MUC/PIA-Caraga)

PIA News Service - Monday, May 10, 2010

Updates on the May 10, 2010 Elections:

SMS

In the 1st District of Surigao del Sur, except Lianga, all precincts were opened at 7am today. However, actual voting started few minutes. All is well as of this time. (PIA-Surigao del Sur)

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PCOS Machines found defective in Surigao City

5 Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines failed to function in Surigao City, Monday morning.

City Comelec Officer Atty. Novern Irish Pasco said that as of this morning defective machines were reported in Brgy. Luna wherein one PCOS machine malfunctioned, one in Brgy. Poctoy, and three in Brgy. Mat-I.

Pacso said they only have two0 PCOS reserves. Defective machines are now currently undergoing repair from the SMARTMATIC technicians. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)

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Surigao Bishop asks voters to vote according to their conscience

Bishop Antonieto Cabajog of the Diocese of Surigao urged all Surigaonon voters to elect leaders according to their conscience.

Cabajog, who is celebrating his birthday today, asks voters to vote whom they think will do good and who has compassion for the people.

Cabajog called on the people not to accept bribes from the politicians, “It will be your birthday gift to me if you will not accept any bribe from politicians who will dangle money in your areas hoping to buy your votes.”

Cabajog has also reiterated the church stand against bloc voting like what others do because “our people have the freedom to choose their candidates according to their conscience.” (PIA-Surigao del Norte)

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May 10 polls generally peaceful in Mindanao regions

Butuan City - The whole morning of the country’s historic and first automated May 10, 2010 polls is generally peaceful, top regional police and military officials reported. 

In their separate statements, Maj. Gen. Romeo Chan, commanding general of the Army’s Northeastern and Northern Mindanao Fourth Infantry (Diamond) Division; Chief Supt. Lino D. Calingasan, regional director of Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13) and Chief Supt. Conrado Laza, regional director of PRO 10, announced that no untoward incidents happened since the start of voting at 7 o’clock in the morning up to noon time of that same day. 

"Everything is normal and thank God that no untoward incident happened up to this time (12 noon)," they said in unison during separate phone interviews. 

They also said that heavy turn out was reported since 7 o’clock in the morning despite some scattered rains that occurred in various provinces and cities in Northeastern and Northern Mindanao regions. 

Only Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur in Northeastern Mindanao and nearby areas reportedly have low turnout due to heavy downpour for the past eight hours starting Monday dawn. 

Heavy downpour prevented some voters from going to the polling precincts in these reported provinces Monday morning. 

Police and the military also said there are some minor problems reported in some polling places. Some problems encountered are PCOS machines not responding and rejected the ballots cast by the voters, paper jam, over shedding and excess number of candidates shed by voters, missing names of voters in some precincts and some voters are wet due to the heavy downpour. 

Some of the precincts where PCOS machines malfunctioned happened at Agusan Pequino, Baan Riverside, Villa Kanangga and G.T. Domingo, all of Butuan City and Santiago Elementary School in Santiago, Agusan del Norte. 

However, the temporary delay of the malfunction of these PCOS machines were immediately addressed by the board of election inspectors (BEIs) of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and technical men deployed by the Smartmatic in various polling precincts at various places in the two regions. 

"I’m happy to tell you that everything is going normal and above all our peace and order situation is also normal up to noontime," said Chief Supt. Calingasan. 

On the other hand, Chief Supt. Laza also reported that the manhandling incident of two block timers of TV-Channel 13 based in Cagayan de Oro by a candidate in Catarman, Camiguin province, is already investigated by the Camiguin provincial police office. 

Meanwhile, vote-buying of certain candidates was also reported since Sunday night and early Monday morning ranging from P500 up to P1,000 per voter. 

Chief Supt. Calingasan said this alleged information is currently being thoroughly looked into by the Comelec and Butuan City Police Office. 

On the other hand, the Army’s 10th Infantry (Agila) Division, through its spokesman Capt. Emmanuel R. Garcia, also reported that no untoward incident happened since 7 o’clock in the morning up to noon time in Southern Mindanao. 

"Everything runs smoothly, no untoward incident reported up to this time and our troops are on stand by," said Capt. Garcia. 

In a related development, due to heavy downpour that caused slow voting process at various places in the Caraga region, Region 13 Comelec Regional Director Francisco Pobe assured voters that casting of vote will continue even after 6 p.m. especially those who are already 30 meters away from the perimeter line to the polling precinct. (muc/PIA-Caraga)


Butuan's Amante, Aquino lead in mayoralty, congressional races

Butuan City - City mayoralty candidate Dr. Ferdinand M. Amante Jr. of the Liberal Party (LP) and congressional bet Jose S. Aquino II of Lakas-Kampi-CMD party, are both leading in the latest count of the City Board of Canvassers in this region's capital city. 

Amante's running mate, Lawrence Lemuel H. Fortun, is also leading in the same latest count against incumbent Vice Mayor Dino Claudio M. Sanchez of Lakas Kampi-CMD party. 

As of 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Amante garnered 57,732 against former city Mayor Leonides Theresa B. Plaza of Lakas-Kampi- CMD with 49,960 votes. 

Rep. Aquino also garnered 77,894 votes against Angelo A. Jimenez's 35,588 votes while Fortun also garnered 62,126 votes against Sanchez with only 39,125 votes. 

In Agusan del Sur, congressional race for 1st district -- Maria Valentina Plaza (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) garnered in the initial provincial board of canvassing count 61,748 votes against Roberto Aquino's (LP) 32,738 votes. 

In that same province's 2nd district congressional race -- Evelyn Plaza-Millana (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) garnered 51,210 votes against Ceferino Paredes Jr. with 35,188 votes. (muc/PIA-Caraga)

PIA News Service - Sunday, May 09, 2010

PNP: Caraga is prepared for tomorrow’s first automated polls

BUTUAN CITY (09 May) – With nearly hours more before the voting precincts are set to open, PNP-Caraga for Regional Operations and Planning Division PSSupt Nestor Fajura said that the entire region is all set and ready. The statement of assurance was made by the police officer in an interview conducted by PIA at Camp Rafael Rodriguez, Police Regional Office-13, this city.

According to Supt. Fajura, the entire police force has already made its manpower deployment to ensure peaceful and orderly elections in the entire region. Also, Fajura said their communication facilities and equipment were already tested and are now ready for tomorrow’s use.

Fajura also reported that in as far as the delivery of PCOS machines is concerned, everything was made in order and were already given to respective BEIs. “The delivery of PCOS machines have been properly managed and that, as of today, no untoward incidents were reported,” he said.

Further, he said during the delivery of the PCOS machines, barangay tanods and even members of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were among those who complemented the police manpower to ensure security in the area.

In as far as peace and order is concerned, Fajura said three election-related violence were reported in Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur and in Surigao del Norte. However, he said “in terms of election-related violence, Caraga is still the lowest among all the regions in the country”.

For areas reported to have NPAs visible, Fajura said the PNP and the AFP through the Philippine Army regularly conducted patrols to ensure that peace and order can be achieved during the election period.

With these developments, Fajura stressed that the entire Police Force in the region is following the command of Regional Director Lino Calingasan which goes “As police officers, you know what to do, and do it properly,” Fajura disclosed. (Robert E. Roperos, PIA-Caraga)

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In Agusan del Sur- All set for the May 10 elections

Everything is ready for the May 10, 2010 elections!

This is the official statement from COMELEC’s Regional Dir. Atty. Francisco Pobe when interviewed by telephone live via DXDA by PIA Agusan del Sur at 3:20 PM today.

Since yesterday (May 8) morning, simultaneous testing of PCOS machines using the reformatted compact flash (CF) cards were done province-wide and ended up successfully solving minimal problems that were encountered during the testing.

According to Dir. Pobe, the problems were very minimal, ranging from loose power connection, loose CF cards insertion, erroneous insertion of ballots in the PCOS machines and other minimal problems and were easily solved by the BEI, the technicians and other stakeholders who will be serving the elections tomorrow.

“In case there will be inevitable machine failure, we have 37 reserve PCOS machines ready to be dispatched”, Dir. Pobe said.

Atty Pobe added that this morning (May 9), connectivity of the transmission equipments were again tested with Prov’l. Prosecutor Abugho, DepEd Supt. Crucita Taala, smartmatic, ITU technician, and leading parties representatives as witnesses. Again, the transmission equipments run smoothly without any problem.

For the media, Atty Pobe advised that they cannot get any unofficial-partial results from the voting precincts. Instead, all election results will be available automatically after the voting and the PCOS machines have transmitted the returns to the municipal and the provincial board of canvassers via the transmission equipments and that will be after every voter casted their votes or after 6:00 in the evening when election ended.

For the electric power issue, ASELCO Gen. Manager Emmanuel Galarce assured the general public that there will be no power interruption starting today, May 9, until May 11, 2010, a day after the election. But in case of inevitable power failure during election, PCOS machines have their own batteries to address the power problem.

On the other hand, PNP Prov’l. Dir. Antonio Paguirigan said they have already deployed the police forces in their proper assignments, in full coordination with the AFP. Since the arrival of PCOS machines, CF cards and other election paraphernalia, the PNP and the military are always there to deliver the equipments and supplies to all areas where the equipments and supplies are intended. They have also 60 additional PNP personnel that will augment the present PNP forces in Agusan del Sur.
According to Supt. Paguirigan. They have their own security formation, where the PNP serves as the front and second layer forces while the army will be the ultimate or the third security layer.

In his reminding message, Atty. Pobe calls on all qualified voters and the Filipino people as a whole to cooperate in making of another history in our country, the first automated election, successful. (Dave M. Suyao, PIA-Agusan del Sur)


Comelec Surigao Norte says PCOS Machines, CF Cards now 100% okay

Surigaonons need not to worry as PCOS Machines were already tested and sealed by COMELEC Surigao Norte.

It was revealed that a total of 471 PCOS machines with 10 spare PCOS units were all successfully tested.

It’s an answered prayer according to the local COMELEC here as they said that the reformatted compact flash cards (CFCs) are now in its best configuration, allowing the PCOS machines to provide a 100% accurate reading of results.

With this development, the local COMELEC here is hopeful that the conduct of the 1st-ever automated election tomorrow will be peaceful, orderly and successful. (Fryan E. Abkilan, PIA-Surigao del Norte)
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“Election must go on in Butuan City,” said Comelec City Election Officer

BUTUAN CITY (09 May) – “All systems go and that, election must go on in Butuan City,” said City Election Officer Abelardo Saco in an interview conducted Sunday (May 9) by PIA.

According to Saco, all Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines, Compact Flash Cards (CFCs), and ballots were already distributed to all the voting precincts in the 86 barangays here. “All 202 PCOS machines as well as the CFCs were successfully disposed and distributed to all voting precincts of the city,” he said.

However, Saco said one PCOS machine assigned to Cluster Precinct 179 in Mandacpan Elementary School in Barangay San Vicente is not functioning. When asked what to do with it, he said two contingency PCOS machines were sent but unfortunately, both also did not function.

To address the problem, he called one of the technicians of SMARTMATIC and later this evening, it was agreed that another PCOS machine will be flown in tomorrow here.

“PCOS machine in the voting precinct in Mandacpan Elementary School is malfunctioning. After I called one of SMARTMATIC’s technicians, we agreed that a replacement of the machine will arrive tomorrow from an early flight in Manila,” Saco said.

As to the supplies needed for the Election Day tomorrow (Monday), he said, secrecy folders have just arrived this afternoon because of the delayed flight of the Philippine Air Lines.

In terms of security, Saco revealed that when PCOS machines were delivered in the previous days, Comelec personnel reported that some unidentified men allegedly trying to flagged them down but accordingly, it is still manageable.

In general, Saco said, Butuan City Comelec is all set and ready for tomorrow’s first-ever poll automated national and local elections. (Robert E. Roperos, PIA-Caraga)
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40,000 military, police, CAFGU’s are on the ground to secure May 10 polls

BUTUAN CITY (May 9) – At least 40,000 security personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) are already at various places in Northern, Northeastern, Southern and Central Mindanao regions to help make this Philippines’ historic and first automated May 10, 2010 national and local elections peaceful, orderly and credible.

AFP's Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMincom) headed by Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer and Directorate Integrated for Police Operations-Eastern Mindanao (DIPO-EM) of the PNP headed by Director Jaime Milla, are already in their respective command posts to personally supervise them.

“It is all systems go,” said EastMincom spokesman Lt. Col. Randolph G. Cabangbang.

Cabangbang said the Army’s 8,000-strong regular troops along with the 23,000 CAFGU’s spread all over the four regions are already in place to secure the citizenry, especially voters and all key government and private installations in an effort to make an “uninterrupted” and a peaceful, orderly and successful first automated historic polls.

He added that government security forces are also on the roads for security.

They are also in near polling places, immediate areas of concern, infrastructures and patrolling operations against any threat group that will destabilize or sabotage the sanctity of the election.

The security forces of the AFP are also assisting the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in various areas of the regions, added Cabangbang.

The units under the administrative and operational control of EastMincom are 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division that covers the provinces and cities of Northeastern and Northern Mindanao (Regions 10 and 13); 10th Infantry (Agila) Division that covers the cities and Davao provinces and Compostela Valley province in Southern Mindanao; and 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division that has the jurisdictions of the provinces and cities in far-south and Central Mindanao region.

On the other hand, Director Milla also said the police forces of the Police Regional Offices (PROs) 10, 11, 12 and 13 are also on the ground for Monday's polls.

Practically, the entire police force in these four regions under DIPO-EM are all set for any contingency during the elections, he said.

“Police preparedness against threat groups, saboteurs and poll cheats has already reached the maximum," said Milla.

"Everything is in place and the PNP and AFP are solid in all the activities to ensure our elections will be honest, orderly and peaceful," he said.

The DIPO-EM head also said ground commanders are pursuing partnerships with village leaders and community volunteers to also augment their law enforcement capabilities.

He said this partnership is essential, especially that one of the main concerns raised by local police commanders is the insufficient number of policemen to maintain peace and order on May 10.

Milla urged the civilians to cooperate with the authorities in every way during election, saying their help is also vital in maintaining peace and in preventing untoward incidents, including poll cheating. (muc/PIA-Caraga)