Parallel count for poll

2004-05-06 07:13

Manila - An independent monitoring group that helped expose massive poll rigging by late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos two decades ago said Thursday it had mobilised 300 000 volunteers for next week's vote.

Bill Luz, chair of the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel), said he expected about 90% of the 43 million registered voters to cast their ballots to choose a president, vice president and other officials on Monday.

Namfrel said volunteers would monitor manual counting in 216 000 polling booths nationwide, and conduct their own "parallel quick count" using official election returns.

About 300 000 volunteers armed with encrypted cellular phones and possibly digital cameras would relay initial results to Namfrel headquarters in Manila, after voting closes at 15:00 (07:00 GMT) on voting day.

"Namfrel's is a 100% parallel count. We will be counting what exactly the Comelec (Commission on Elections) will be counting," Luz told reporters.

Luz said the public was "looking for an independent verification of the numbers" and remained uncomfortable with government figures, 18 years after Marcos was proclaimed the winner of fraudulent 1986 elections.

Officials at the election office protested the result and staged a mass walkout, and public anger boiled into a "people power" revolution that sent Marcos into exile in Hawaii.

Namfrel's count at the time had opposition candidate Corazon Aquino winning the race by a wide margin.

"It is a huge undertaking, an investment we see that is worthwhile as an assurance that elections are honest and credible," Luz said. "As far as we are concerned, it's well worth the price."

- AFP