ALKHOBAR, 5 December 2005 — Filipinos in the Eastern Region hope to raise questions on overseas absentee voting and the "Hello Garci" controversy, among other issues, when they meet with Philippine House of Representatives Speaker Jose de Venecia today.
The meeting, which is open to all Filipinos, is to be held at the International Philippine School in Alkhobar (IPSA) from 7:30 p.m.
Some community leaders said they want to know if overseas Filipinos would still be allowed to vote in Philippine national elections should the planned shift to a parliamentary system of government be effected.
In the OAV law, Filipinos overseas are allowed to vote for the president, vice president, senators, and party-list representatives.
De Venecia, who heads a 35-person delegation composed of government officials, and business executives, is expected to explain his views on charter change, which he and former President Fidel V. Ramos have been advocating.
Ramos announced the proposed shift last July as he and Speaker de Venecia came to the rescue of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who was reportedly about to step down when 10 of her key officials resigned at the same time that Senate President Franklin Drilon and his Liberal Party withdrew their support for her.
Former President Corazon Aquino also came out on TV urging Arroyo to resign, saying she has lost the credibility to lead in view of her alleged involvement in massive cheating in last year’s election.
Community leaders here expect to hear from de Venecia about the alleged rigging of last year's election to make Arroyo win. “We want to know the truth since there is no use of the absentee voting if election results can be fixed in the Philippines,” said absentee voting rights advocate Gani Manalo.
Last week, Executive Director Pio Jose Joson of the Commission on Elections admitted during a dialogue with the community leaders here that there are really members of the poll body who are loyal to political parties or individuals and not to the Filipino people.
“It is sad to say that it is happening to some members of the Commission on Elections, that their loyalty is not to the country but to the government official who appointed them or to the members of the Congress’ committee on appointments,” Joson said.
Joson also said that politicians abused the weakness of the voters particularly those in Muslim Mindanao wherein vote rigging were very rampant and easy to manipulate.
Among other issues to be asked by OFWs is for Congress to increase the Comelec funds for the OAV so that more registration and voting centers will be established to ensure more participation of Filipinos in the Kingdom.
Additional budget will also be asked for the Philippine mission in the Kingdom for more staff to look after the welfare of distressed Filipino workers, particularly in the Eastern Region.
