 President Arroyo during her televised message regarding the alleged wiretapped tapes An electoral crisis emerged in the Philippines in June 2005. Certain evidence, not yet tried in a court of law, has surfaced regarding alleged election fraud conducted by incumbent president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the 2004 national election. The official results of that election gave Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Noli de Castro the presidency and vice-presidency, respectively. Hundreds of national and local positions were also contested during this election. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
June is the sixth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ...
2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ...
Electoral fraud is the deliberate interference with the process of an election. ...
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born April 5, 1947) is a politician and the current (14th) president of the Philippines. ...
Presidential elections, legislative elections and local elections were held in the Philippines on May 10, 2004. ...
Noli de Castro, Jr. ...
Events history See main article The following is an event History of the 2005 Philippine electoral crisis. ...
Samuel Ong, a former deputy director of the country's National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) declared in a June 10 press conference that he was in possession of original audio tapes recorded from a wiretapped conversation between President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and an official of the Commission on Elections. In the following weeks, the contents of the tapes spread through various forms of media during the crisis. The Ong recordings allegedly prove that the 2004 national election was rigged by Arroyo to maintain her incumbency and the political success of her allies. Arroyo denied the accusations of election rigging in a television broadcast on June 27, but she acknowledged that it was her voice on the tape. Protests occured frequently during the crisis in favor or against Arroyo and her administration. The electoral issue is accompanied by the more prominent political bickering between administration politicians and their opponents and their respective allies. The conflict was marked by public protests, declarations/withdrawals of support, attacks bordering on libel or slander, misleading the electorate, emotional rhetoric, and propaganda wars. It was also common for several parties involved in the crisis to make public acts of faith such as prayers, vigils, affirmation of righteousness, etc. The electoral fraud issue itself has not yet been addressed by litigation. Despite the conflict, day-to-day operations of government offices, businesses, and schools, were not affected. Samuel Ong is a former deputy director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of the Philippines and is a whistleblower, declaring that the 2004 national elections was rigged, starting an electoral crisis. ...
June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ...
PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born April 5, 1947), also known by her initials GMA, is the current and 14th President of the Republic of the Philippines. ...
Presidential elections, legislative elections and local elections were held in the Philippines on May 10, 2004. ...
June 27 is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 187 days remaining. ...
Public opinion
Social Weather Stations Survey Social Weather Stations, an opinion poll, conducted a survey on the public's view of the crisis. In Metro Manila, it was reported that the net trust rating of President Arroyo fell 31%, with 48% having little trust in her and 17% with much trust. 94% of the survey's respondents said they were aware of the Garci tapes. 59% considered Arroyo's alleged actions cheating but 29% said that President Arroyo is just protecting her votes. 20% of their respondents want to move past the situation, 26% said that they must find the truth, and 18% said that Arroyo must resign. When SWS asked whether or not Vice-President Noli de Castro is capable of replacing the President, 48% said yes and 29% said no. According to their survey, Comelec received the net trust rating of 27%. Social Weather Stations or SWS is a social research institution in the Philippines. ...
The President is the head of state and of the government of the Republic of the Philippines. ...
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born April 5, 1947) is a politician and the current (14th) president of the Philippines. ...
The President is the head of state and of the government of the Republic of the Philippines. ...
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born April 5, 1947) is a politician and the current (14th) president of the Philippines. ...
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born April 5, 1947) is a politician and the current (14th) president of the Philippines. ...
Noli de Castro, Jr. ...
CNN/Time Poll According to a new CNN/Time poll, 57.5 percent of the people surveyed said that Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should not finish her term. See CNN article. CNN or Cable News Network is a cable television network that was founded in 1980 by Ted Turner & Reese Schonfeld [1] [2] (although he currently is not recognized in CNNs official history). ...
(Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ...
A poll is either an election or a survey of a particular group. ...
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born April 5, 1947) is a politician and the current (14th) president of the Philippines. ...
Pulse Asia Survey A new Pulse Asia survey released on Philippine news on July 12 show that 57% of people want incumbent president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign from office. Pulse Asia, Inc. ...
July 12 is the 193rd day (194th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 172 days remaining. ...
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born April 5, 1947) is a politician and the current (14th) president of the Philippines. ...
Evidence
Samuel Ong evidence Two recordings have been presented to the public thus far: the Ong recordings and the government endorsed copies of such. Uncut copies of the Ong recordings are widespread. See Philippine Center of Investigative Journalism (PCIJ). The first recordings to hit the press are being used in the Congressional inquiry on the crisis. The second set of recordings, described by the government as the original, is more easily accessible in the Phillipines as the government did not restrict the media from airing it. However, the media aired both sets, focusing on the Ong recordings. A transcript is available here, but its lack of government censure has yet to be determined. government endorsed transcript
Shortly after the scandal broke, Randy David, a nonpartisan columnist of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, cited two excerpts the Ong recording in an article. Sheila Coronel, of the Philippine Center of Investigative Journalism, was able to decipher some of the garbled parts of the tape, which allegedly implicate Arroyo in the scandal. David analyzed the tapes using ethnomethodology and came to the same conclusions as did Coronel. His analysis describes one of the speakers as a female coming across as a person speaking to her subordinate. Later, Arroyo acknowledged that it was indeed her voice on the recorded phonecall. Of the Arroyo's subordinate, David described him as a "man..not in the business of counting votes; he produces them." See Randy David's analysis of the transcript. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, popularly known as The Inquirer, is the most widely read broadsheet newspaper in the Philippines, with a daily circulation of 260,000 copies (a 52-percent share of total circulation of broadsheets in the country). ...
Ethnomethodology (literally, the study of peoples methods) is a sociological discipline which focuses on the way people make sense of the world and display their understandings of it. ...
Sheila Coronel described not only electoral fraud, but also the involvement of the independent watchdog Namfrel. In her analysis, Coronel alleges clear evidence of corruption. The blog also has a commentary section where the garbled portions of the tape were digitally enhanced for clarity. Allegedly, Arroyo whispered "Yung dagdag, yung dagdag" (the addition, the addition, implying fraud) as well as mentioning Namfrel's sympathy for her.
According to Philippine law, both recordings are now part of the public domain, and are freely distributable.
Roberto Verzola evidence Roberto Verzola, leader of the Philippine Greens and an IT expert, revealed that he can also prove that Gloria Macapagal Arroyo allegedly rigged the 2004 elections. According to Verzola, the "worst cheating" occurred in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and Central Mindanao, where up to 50 percent of the vote may have been manipulated. Specific places of significant electoral fraud, with up to 70 percent of the vote rigged allegedly, included the provinces of Basilan, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi. Verzola attacked the management of Namfrel for "covering up the cheating by manipulating its own count" (in favor allegedly of Arroyo). Verzola used to work for the watchdog in 1992. Green Party of the Philippines -- official name of the political party of the newly established Philippine Greens and of the environmentalist movement in the country. ...
PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born April 5, 1947), also known by her initials GMA, is the current and 14th President of the Republic of the Philippines. ...
Basilan is an island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). ...
Sultan Kudarat is a province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. ...
Lanao del Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). ...
Sulu is an island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). ...
Tawi-Tawi is an island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). ...
The National Movement for Free Elections or NAMFREL is an officially accredited election watchdog in the Philippines. ...
Jay Carizo and Election Cheating Indicators The work of Verzola is being corroborated by Jay A. Carizo of the Institute of Popular Democracy. Carizo developed simple election cheating indicators by making a triangulation out of the election data from the Philippine Commission on Elections, the quickcount results of the Namfrel, and the official results as canvassed by the Joint Committee on the Canvassing of Votes for President and Vice President. The indicators proved that vote-shaving and padding indeed occurred in the places mentioned in the controversial wire-tapped conversation between President Gloria Arroyo and Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.
Other evidence Some independent sources from within Namfrel, and other independent sources, surfaced with new evidence regarding the electoral fraud allegations. This began with the 2004 election candidates release of new evidence that could possibly prove electoral fraud, even in local government positions aside from the Arroyo allegations. Some claim that they could even prove not only electoral fraud, but also the murder of political opponents by incumbents. Also, a significant number of common people have begun to come out with their own eyewitness accounts of cheating. These include accusations against the management of ballot boxes, as well as the counting process. The alleged witnesses said though that they are reluctant to discuss their stories in public, for their families' sake. Circulation of evidence is no longer limited to the Ong recordings as a broad array of evidence have surfaced. The Ong recordings though are still the most prolific, as the new sources are still to be verified and/or be made public. The National Movement for Free Elections or NAMFREL is an officially accredited election watchdog in the Philippines. ...
Electoral fraud is the deliberate interference with the process of an election. ...
Pop culture
Humour There is also the wide spread use of a portion of the contents in Ong tapes as a mobile phone ring tone. The ring tone starts with Hello, Garci? Hello Ma'm. This is common among the youth, especially with the start of the new school year in June. It became one of the world's most downloaded ring tone. See link There are also more various varieties of ring tones that are derived from the wiretapped conversation aside from the original ring tone. In addition to the popular ring tones, the so-called "prayer jokes" have become popular.
Partisan propaganda A poster of President Arroyo being Valentina, a villain of the popular television series Darna, was in circulation. It is entitled "President Evil", alluding to the popular film and video game series Resident Evil. Another poster depicts a fictional film as it was called "Destabilisasyon: Ang Pagbabalik ni Asyong Salonga." (translated as Destabilisation: The Return of Asyong Salonga) The poster depicts the following people as its characters, Joseph Estrada, Laarni Enriquez, Samuel Ong, Sandra Cam, and Francis Escudero. These people are either opposition leaders and political opponents, or for Ong and Cam, whistleblowers. The two posters are definitely partisan either in favor or against Arroyo, and as propaganda, uses pop culture in aiding the cause of one side. Valentina is the arch enemy of Darna, a snake goddess, resembling Medusa. ...
Darna Darna is a fictional character and superheroine created by Filipino comics genius Mars Ravelo. ...
Resident Evil, known as Biohazard (ãƒã‚¤ã‚ªãƒã‚¶ãƒ¼ãƒ‰) in Japan, is a successful franchise of horror-adventure video games developed by Capcom. ...
Implications
Government The evidence carries with it great consequences. The Ong tape has already been neutrally authenticated by foreign companies Uniquest (Australia) and Voice Identification (Unites States). Also, Arroyo's spokesman, Ignacio Bunye, as well as the president herself, acknowledged that it was indeed Arroyo's voice. The protesting public insist that the tapes and CDs have already proven electoral fraud, and that Arroyo cheated and rigged the 2004 elections. People are clamoring that the results the 2004 elections be made invalid. The Supreme Court has not yet decided on the matter, and has not yet made a declaration of an invalid election. Congress began hearings regarding the crisis and is in the process of making a decision. Generally, protesters support a variety of options as a solution for the government. Resignation and impeachment are possible options although these do not address her alleged illegitimacy. Arroyo simply stepping down or re-elections are also possible. Arroyo and the administration are against this since they would prefer to simply moving on. Ignacio Bunye is a politician in the Philippines and a current Congressmen of the Philippines. ...
Electoral fraud is the deliberate interference with the process of an election. ...
There are many possible outcomes for government. If Arroyo resigns before any decision by an appropropriate body, vice-president Noli de Castro would become president. If impeachment proceedings were taken instead, Arroyo, and/or any other related party, may be convicted or acquitted, with little, or no change in government except in possibly administration. If no action would be taken, the issue of the current state of the allegedly faulty electoral system would not be addressed. Noli de Castro, Jr. ...
If the court of last resort declares that the 2004 elections are null and void, Senate President Franklin Drilon, the highest elected official to date who is still serving his term from the previous election in 2001, may be sworn in by the Supreme Court, as interim president. In a temporary role mandated by the constitution, the interim president will call for re-elections to replace the results of 2004. This would be complicated, as foreign aid may be necessary for the re-elections. Legislative elections and local elections were held in the Philippines on May 14, 2001. ...
Supreme Court of the Phillipines --- the countrys highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. ...
No final course of action has been taken yet to resolve the issue.
Electorate The Philippines, according to experts, has a reputation for having political issues based on personality politics and the corruption, alleged or otherwise, involving government personalities. Such examples include the ouster of former presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada. However, what is unique about this crisis, according to same experts, is that it addresses the greater issue of electoral fraud and an allegedly faulty election system that allows cheaters to win, and worse, to get away with it. Politically outspoken student groups mention that this is rather new for Philippine politics, and shows a gradual development of the voting public, the electorate. Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Edralin Marcos (September 11, 1917–September 28, 1989) was the tenth President of the Philippines, serving from 1965 to 1986. ...
Joseph Estrada Joseph Estrada, original name Joseph Marcelo Ejercito, and widely known as Erap (born April 19, 1937) is a popular film actor in the Philippines and was the 13th President of the Republic of the Philippines from June 30, 1998 to January 20, 2001. ...
Electoral fraud is the deliberate interference with the process of an election. ...
The accusations, if recognized to be true by the Supreme Court, will prove that the declared winners of the 2004 elections do not actually have the legal mandate to be in power. And, if the winners are stripped of their positions, this will be the first time that cheating politicians, in significant numbers, may actually be punished for their actions. Again if this happens, it will be a turning point in the country's electoral history, as the electorate's demand for free and fair elections will topple cheating candidates who almost got away with cheating, assuming these politicians are proven cheaters. Presidential elections, legislative elections and local elections were held in the Philippines on May 10, 2004. ...
According to pundits, the past 60 years of the Philippine history already has a reputation of electoral fraud, proven or otherwise. It is just that no one ever gets caught, and that no one ever gets punished. Analysts assert that constituents have always been desensitized to their politicians cheating during elections, and because of this, people usually doubt their leaders' mandates. The people are also often suspicious of the winners, especially in close poll results, and do nothing. Constituents generally allow their leaders, assuming proven acts of cheating, to get away with cheating, until now.
Media coverage Certain sectors claim that some media groups in broadcast and print are partisan in favor of Arroyo or against Arroyo. This is seen in the manner of the coverage of the crisis, and the selections of experts for interviews. Alternative media, mostly in radio, accuse the same, though they may be partisan themselves. These accusations though between them are not new, and are common during propaganda wars.
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) warning on the country's radio and TV networks stands out during the crisis. The NTC warning of possible forced closure on any network that airs the contents of the Ong tapes is a contentious issue not only in the country but also abroad. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) even condemned the Arroyo administration for attempting to restrict the airing of the Ong recordings during the early part of the crisis. International Federation of Journalists, IFJ, is global union federation of journalists trade unions - the largest in the world. ...
However, before the warning some networks were already able to play the contents of the Ong tapes repeatedly. The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) later objected the NTC warning. Eventually, KBP announced that the media may broadcast the contents. Published transcripts are in circulation as well as audio recordings. The fate of these media groups is pending, regarding any future NTC action, though the KBP believes that the NTC has no legal basis in closing any any TV or radio network.
While traditional media still dominates coverage, particular print, radio, and television, other supplementary forms of media are emerging. If SMS texting was a contributing factor to the propaganda of both sides during the impeachment of President Joseph Estrada, e-mail and online journals (or blogs) have taken on a much more prominent role in the current crisis. The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and respected television and print journalists such as Howie Severino, have remarked on the blog phenomenon in this crisis.
Impeachment Case
 President Arroyo welcomes the impeachment case filed against her so that she can refute the charges and issues that struck her administration. In June 27, Oliver Lozado filed an impeachment case against Arroyo on the grounds of "Betrayal of Public Trust". Congressman Rodante Marcoleta had endorsed the impeachment case to the House of Representatives. According to him, the impeachment complaint against the President is "sufficient in form and substance." Another lawyer named Jose Rizaldo P. Lopez, a private citizen, also filed an 11-page impeachment complaint against Arroyo at the House Secretary General's Office, in which he accused the President of betraying public trust. The main opposition led by Francis Escudero mentioned that they will support impeachment. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born April 5, 1947) is a politician and the current (14th) president of the Philippines. ...
The President is the head of state and of the government of the Republic of the Philippines. ...
See also PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born April 5, 1947), also known by her initials GMA, is the current and 14th President of the Republic of the Philippines. ...
Virgilio Garcillano (born 1948?) is a former official of the Philippine Commission on Elections who allegedly was involved in Gloria Macapagal Arroyos alleged electoral fraud in the Philippine general election, 2004. ...
Samuel Ong is a former deputy director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of the Philippines and is a whistleblower, declaring that the 2004 national elections was rigged, starting an electoral crisis. ...
External links - TWBPSK Kevin Ray's Corner - For the latest updates about the Gloriagate Scandal that is heating the Philippines political situation. This blog is being updated by Kevin Ray Chua.
- Txt Power - For the latest Hello Garci Ringtones
- Inq7.net News
- Inside PCIJ
- ABS-CBN News - The Kapamilya Network No.1 Station in the Philippines.
- GMA News - The Kapuso Network No.1 in Metro Manila only and No.2 in the Philippines.
- Social Weather Stations
- www.talsik.com - Philippine politics discussion forum focusing on fighting corruption.
- Newsstand -Journalist and editorial writer John Nery.
- Politics in the time of blogs -Award-winning journalist Howie Severino on the blogosphere's response to the crisis.
- Blogging in a time of crisis -The PCIJ surveys blog coverage of the crisis.
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