SWS and Pulse Asia in violation of R.A. 9006?

Photo credit: http://rap08.multiply.com

ARE the Social Weather Stations (SWS) and Pulse Asia in violation of the Fair Election Act (Republic Act No. 9006)? While it is true that  SWS managed to make section 5.4 of the act declared unconstitutional, which means they can publish surveys even up to election day, they're still not complying with important provisions of the law--those stipulated under sections 5.2 and 5.3.

       Sec. 5.2 of Rep. Act 9006 stipulates that the following information be provided with every published election surveys:

            (a) The name of the person, candidate, party or organization who commissioned or paid for the survey;
            (b) The name of the person, polling firm or survey organization who conducted the survey;
            (c) The period during which the survey was conducted, the methodology used, including the number of individual respondents and the areas from which they were selected, and the specific questions asked;
            (d) The margin of error of the survey;
            (e) For each question for which the margin of error is greater than that reported under paragraph (d), the margin of error for that question; and
            (f) A mailing address and telephone number, indicating it as an address or telephone number at which the sponsor can be contacted to obtain a written report regarding the survey in accordance with Subsection 5.3.

 Former Sen. Kit Tatad recently charged that polling firms have been in violation of the Fair Election law for refusing to abide by the full disclosure provisions of said law. SWS and Pulse Asia, he said, have been committing election offenses for failure to publish all material needed material data to enable public determination of the reliability of survey results. Despite repeated formal requests, the former senator says that SWS refuses to provide all the legally required information on questionnaires, methodologies, sponsorships, etc. as Pulse Asia insists on keeping its sponsors 'confidential.'

An important as the provision in section 5.2 is the one stipulated in section 5.3, which requires no less than RAW DATA from the survey firms. The relevant part of the one-paragraph section goes as"

"The survey together with raw data gathered to support its conclusions shall be available for inspection, copying and verification by the COMELEC or by a registered political party or a bona fide candidate, or by any COMELEC-accredited citizen’s arm."

Electoral survey firms are not supplying raw data either. What is more disturbing is how the Commission on Elections seems to be ignoring the violations. This has prompted Sen. Tatad to formally ask COMELEC  en banc to enforce the Fair Election Act on SWS and Pulse Asia, along with other polling firms.

It does not take much gray matter to figure out why the law asks polling firms to provide the public with raw data and other information such as the methodologies and questionnaires used, along with sponsorships. Unverifiable, unreliable surveys fed into the public consciousness constitute a dangerous tool of poll trending. Instead of merely measuring voting preferences and  other forms of opinions and perceptions, false survey results can serve as a tool of electoral bandwagon/trending conditioning to favor certain candidates.

Surveys play an important role in modern-day democracies. However their misuse becomes a dangerous tool of controlling public opinion that is counter to the essence of the concept of fair play and empowerment of the people. The Fair Election Act clearly requires SWS and Pulse Asia to make their survey information public but they chose to be secretive about certain data. It does not take a lawyer to see the survey poll bodies' electoral offense. So why is COMELEC not implementing the law?

Perhaps, a better question is why the survey firms continue to refuse to disclose the required information. In the current presidential race, the pre-electoral surveys of both SWS and Pulse Asia almost decisively and consistently show Liberal Party's Noynoy Aquino as front-runner. By opting to be secretive in apparent violation of the R.A.9006, are these two mainstream survey outfits actually trending for the yellow candidate? Nagtatanong lamang po.

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References

An act to enhance the holding of free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections through fair election practices.  February 12, 2001.  http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2001/ra_9006_2001.html

Comelec Urged to Sanction Pulse Asia, SWS, etc.
http://kittatad.wordpress.com/2010/04/23/comelec-urged-to-sanction-pulse-asia-sws-etc/

'Noynoy kin, allies behind Pulse, SWS' 
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=572737&publicationSubCategoryId=63

Tatad Asks COMELEC Sanction vs Pulse Asia, SWS
http://kittatad.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/tatad-asks-comelec-sanction-vs-pulse-asia-sws/

There is no ban on publication of election survey results. 23 April 2010. http://www.sws.org.ph/fel-news.htm

Time to end poll surveys – Angara
http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/15913-time-to-end-poll-surveys--angara

Gloria-Gibo Cheating on May 10, 2010?

Despite my partisan optimism that former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada will regain the seat that he undemocratically lost during the 2001 EDSA 2 power grab by way of a new mandate in an orderly elections come May 10, 2010, what I actually expect is CHEATING. In that Gloria-evil-perpetuated cheating scenario, GIBO will emerge the "victor."

The 'VILLAROYO' talk of a 'secret' administration candidate strikes me as a charade. Just look at Gibo's obstinate "loyalty" to the Illegitimate President. This, amidst incessant reports of  presidential contender Manny Villar's (or Noynoy Aquino's?) supposed secret deal with Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in which scenario Arrobo will be allowed to sit as House Speaker and then possibly alter the constitution to allow her to become Prime Minister.

Gilbert "Gibo" (daw) Teodoro rationalizes his astoundingly unwavering loyalty to his president by professing to don the Filipino value of "utang na loob" (sense/feeling of gratitude or indebtedness). How in heaven's name did the administration party's standard bearer come to regard the "Most Corrupt President in Philippine History" as worthy of his gratitude?

Reuters/Via Daylife/Via Tonyocruz.com

Then Vice-President Gloria showed nary a sense of utang na loob towards then incumbent President Joseph Estrada when she and her husband took part in the 2001 power grab. After all, Estrada trusted her so much so that he made her a cabinet member, appointing her Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. No less than the First Gentle__g Mike Arroyo divulged their crucial role in the ouster of Erap when he detailed "Plan A" and "Plan B" to acclaimed writer Nick Joaquin during the March 2001 Philippine Graphic magazine interview. If the object of the LAKAS official presidential candidate's professed utang na loob does not know gratitude, why would a seemingly intelligent man like Gibo insist on professing loyalty to Arroyo supposedly based  on that Filipino value?

Gibo being tied to a selfish, megalomaniac creature like Gloria by utang na loob makes no sense. Unless the rope of loyalty is more of  a dark scheme glued by the collusion of corruption with a vision of the post-May-2010 perpetuation of such a demonic arrangement. Take note of the danger signs abounding--Comelec mock polls showing 50% disenfranchisement; voters' list not being purged properly enough (the Board of Election Inspectors, instead of the computer, made in charge of the operation); Supreme court-upheld Comelec decision to push through with full automation despite non-pilot testing in what should have been two areas each in two provinces, municipalities, and cities; virtual elimination of security measures; PCOS failure; human intervention in the balloting, with the BEI doing checking for authenticity with hand-held UV lamps; and even printing errors that have misaligned the ovals, rendering them unreadable.

More disturbing is the Illegitimate government's apparent inclination to call the elections fraudulent. National Security Council chief Norberto Gonzales recently claimed that cheating for the 2010 polls has begun. Conveniently not naming names, Gonzales said candidates have supposedly started bribing officials of the COMELEC, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

How ridiculous is it to hear the administration camp responsible for the 'Hello Garci'  2004 presidential electoral fraud operations warning about looming cheating in the coming polls? Further, this unsupported 'warning' comes amidst mainstream survey results showing their standard-bearer Gibo as tailender candidate. Doesn't this sound like a Plan B in case automated cheating fail.  Doesn't it sound like a propaganda ploy to condition the people's minds into peacefully accepting a failure of elections scenario in the bid to somehow stall Arroyo's step-down from power? Perhaps, create a mayhem situation to allow the outgoing Illegitimate to consolidate power and take power anew on her own terms?

The dangers signs of cheating for Gloria's continued de facto reign are too great to ignore. Gibo's unfaltering loyalty to his illegitimate, most unwanted "President" is equally disturbing. It is not difficult to see that Gloria would not be willing to face charges for her string of gargantuan crimes committed against the nation during her horrific nine-year reign. As insurance against her likely incarceration when she steps down, the Illegitimate simply  WONT allow a non-ally to take her place. Nobody should lose sight of that.

The Filipino people should not let them be taken in for another Gloria ride. Never underestimate the evil's mind! Despite his low survey ratings, Gilbert Teodoro, with Gloria's more-than-willing conspiratorial help, might just pull off the second biggest electoral (fraud) surprise in the nation's history. Next, of course, to the 2004 cheating conducted against Fernando Poe Jr., the genuine 14th President of the Philippines.

An automated Hello Garci this May? If the Filipinos failed to protect their votes in 2004 when elections were manual, how much more now with compromised "automation." All eyes on Gibo now.

________

References:

Tordesillas, Ellen. "Credit should go to Mike Arroyo". Malaya. 16 Jan. 2002. http://malaya.com.ph/jan16/edtorde.htm. Retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20020206231755/http://malaya.com.ph/jan16/edtorde.htm

Olivares, Ninez Cacho. A clear waste of P11.3 billion taxpayers’ money. The Daily Tribune.  http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100426com2.html

 de la Cruz, Aycth S. Mock elections prove 50% voters disenfranchisement. The Daily Tribune.  May 1, 2010. http://taga-ilog-news.blogspot.com/2010/05/mock-elections-prove-50-voters.html

Pulse Asia. Pulse Asia's October 2007 Special Report on Corruption-Related Issues. http://pulseasia.com.ph/pulseasia/story.asp?ID=628


Photo credits

Reuters/Via Daylife/Via Tonyocruz.com

http://www.facebook.com/giboteodoro?v=photos&ref=search#!/photo.php?pid=3257568&id=103173344186

Denmark's "guilt" over annual killing of hundreds of the famous and intelligent Calderon dolphins

 Denmark is the perpetrator of a horrendous crime.

The sea is stained red and it's not because of the climate effects of nature. 

 It's because of the cruelty of human beings ('civilised' humans) who kill hundreds of the famous and intelligent Calderon dolphins.

This occurs yearly in Feroe Iland, Denmark. The main participants in this slaughter are young teens.

 

The rationale?  A celebration,  to show that they are adults and mature!

  

 In this big celebration, nothing is missing from the 'fun'. Everyone is participating in one way or the other, killing or looking at the cruelty as a supporting spectator.

Is it necessary to mention that the dolphin calderon, like all the other species of dolphins, is near extinction, and they get near men to play and interact - in a way of PURE friendship

The dolphins don't die instantly; they are cut 1, 2 or 3 times with thick hooks and  produce a grim cry like that of a new born child.

  They suffer cruelly; and there's no compassion while this magnificent creature slowly dies in its own blood.

Its time to stop! We won't only read. That would make us accomplices, viewers. 

Bring this to the attention of the world, of relevant organizations.

This is even worse than Japanese whale-killing for meat! Imagine frenzied dolphin killing as CELEBRATORY RIGHT of PASSAGE?

CRY OUT AGAINST THE SLAUGHTER IN SUPPORT OF THE CALDERON DOLPHINS!