COTABATO CITY, BARMM, Philippines — Mindanao’s lone cardinal, Orlando Quevedo, has called on the electorate and aspirants for the historic Bangsamoro parliamentary elections on Sept. 14 to shun dirty practices that hounded the region’s past elections, such as intimidation, vote buying and prefilling of ballots.
Quevedo, retired archbishop of Cotabato, stressed the need for Bangsamoro stakeholders to make the upcoming polls a “showcase of peaceful, honest and credible democratic exercise,” as this would serve as “barometer” for future regional elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Citing the historical value of the first BARMM regional elections held seven years after the region’s establishment, Quevedo rallied the 2.39 million registered voters to come out in full force and choose the members of the 80-seat parliament.
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“All of us should participate in a common effort to make the elections an outstanding model for future BARMM elections,” the cardinal, a staunch supporter of the Mindanao peace process, said in a recorded video message on Saturday.
“I strongly appeal to everyone to make the elections fair, transparent, honest, just and credible,” Quevedo added.
Speaking as an appointed member of the Council of Leaders in the BARMM representing Christian settler communities, Quevedo shared what he believes should be the qualities of leaders elected in the region.
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“The qualities that are indispensably expected of all who are officially involved in the elections are moral integrity, honesty and accountability,” he said.
The prelate warned against the use of illegal and abusive election practices that had marred previous elections in parts of the Bangsamoro.
“Our first BARMM elections must not be marked by intimidation, vote buying, prefilling of ballots. In the past, we have seen so many dirty manipulations of election procedures and results,” Quevedo said.
He urged the Commission on Elections, military and police authorities, candidates and other major players in the electoral process to ensure that voters can cast their ballots freely.
“Let every voter choose candidates whom they really believe are persons of competence and honesty and not choose persons dictated to them by others,” he said.
Quevedo also urged voters to carefully assess the candidates before casting their ballots, citing competence, honesty, integrity and accountability as among the qualifications of the aspirants.
“Vote for those your conscience chooses even if they are not included on the list of popular and winnable candidates,” he said.
Watchdogs
As Quevedo appealed for honest and credible elections, foreign poll watchdogs have strongly recommended the need for voter education to achieve credible regional elections.
The Asian Network for Free Elections (Anfrel) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI), based in Thailand and the United States, respectively, have deployed 10 observers across the BARMM to monitor the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.
Brizza Rosales, Anfrel executive director and mission director, stressed that BARMM voters, given the new election method for the region, should receive clear, accurate and accessible information through community-based initiatives, with particular attention to geographically isolated and marginalized communities.
“The production and dissemination of information materials in prominent local languages and of visual aids such as maps and infographics, could significantly contribute to voter awareness,” she said. /cb
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