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Home Government, Media, Politics In the News: ABS-CBN, na-kuryente na naman

In the News: ABS-CBN, na-kuryente na naman

Sunday, June 6, 2010, 5:42

News: ABS-CBN, na-kuryente na naman http://antipinoy.com/in-the-news-abs-cbn-na-kuryente-n

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Government, Media, Politics

44 comments

Shar e 143

Kuryente, or electricity, is the term Filipino journalists use when reporters get electrocuted by

wrong information.

ABS-CBN, a sister company ofkuryente firm Meralco until Manny Pangilinans recent takeover,is on its way to becoming a regular source ofkuryente.

In todays issue of the Philippine Star, columnist Federico Pascual revealed how his name was

falsely included by ABS-CBN in a report on Gloria Arroyos midnight appointments a few days

ago.

Should ABS-CBN be sent to the electric chair?

Before we go any further, a word on Arroyos midnight appointments:

The ban on appointments for executive positions started on March 10th. Arroyos final appointments were

made before March 10th, but the media and the camp of Noynoy Aquino (notice how they always seem to be

on the same side?) are taking issue with the appointments that were made on dates close to March 10th.

Did Arroyo break any laws? According to the Constitution, no. She only maximized the prerogatives available

to her in her final days as president, in classic barefaced fashion.

Aquino gets mad, Arroyo gets even. Who do you think will win if this continues?

In the future, government-controlled corporations should be professionalized so the retention or removal of

executives and board members can be done using objective measures of aptitude and performance.

Presidential appointments only serve to feed patronage politics.

Here now is the story of Federico Pascual from the Philippine Star. When you are done reading, ask yourself

why there are no penalties when the media commits offenses like this.

143

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* * *

COVERUP CLAIM: Until press time, Ricky has not produced the other Federico Pascual that he claimed

was appointed to PNOC. To me, this means that all throughout, they were really referring to me, picture

and all.

It would have been f ine if our fr iends in ABS-CBN simply admitted they erred in dragging me into the

midnight appointment mess.

As I tell students in journalism school, everybody makes mistakes, especially in fast-clip reporting. A quick

relief would be to admit the error, apologize and promptly make the necessary corrections.

Concocting that coverup claim that ABS-CBN was referring to another Federico Pascual, and not to me,

only superimposed another lie on the first false report, thereby compounding their credibility problem.

* * *

DEMOLITION: That reference to a previous demolition job on me recalls ABS-CBNs broadcasting a

similar report about a namesake, who was in banking and another state firm, against whom charges had

been filed.

That would have been routine reportage, except that the network hyper and shrill as usual put in my

picture and told TV viewers it was me the STAR columnist on the carpet. (One time I might devote one

column to that eternally recycled mug shot.)

When I protested the false reference, they apologized and ran corrections. They always kick you first, then

say sorry.

Our ABS-CBN friends can use a little more restraint and humility when raking their victims over the

coals. I think their bosses the Lopezes will realize that that is even good for the family business.

* * *

RUINOUS CHANNEL: A big dose of patriotism will help, too.

Somebody should tell the Lopezes that their scattering to the four corners of the world bad news about the

Philippines seems to be good business only because they now dominate the Filipino cable-TV business

abroad.

But when a more enlightened competitor comes along with balanced and positive programming, the

negative fare on the Lopez menu abroad will be dumped by Filipinos who hunger for good news about their

homeland.

Many Filipinos abroad who have no choice but to watch only the Lopez channel often call home fearful that

the country is going to pieces. Some of them are actually afraid to come visiting.

What can we expect when all they see on the Filipino global channel is sex, crime, scandal and showbiz.

It is sad that in their desire to destroy Gloria Arroyo via their powerful medium, the Lopezes are also

destroying our country.

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Tags: abs-cbn, Federico Pascual, lopez, noynoy aquino,philippine star, Ricky Carandang

About the Author

Morga has written 8 stories on this site.

Antonio de Morga wrote the first book on Philippine history, Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, in

1609. He returns today to comment on the news and rectify revisionist, Disney-fied reporting of

events in recent Philippine history, particularly those surrounding 1986 and its aftermath.

BE A PART OF ANTIPINOY! Follow us on Twitter to stay on top of the news www.twitter.com/antipinoy.

Add us onFacebookso you can comment on the headlines. Help spread the knowledge!

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44 Comments on In the News: ABS-CBN, na-kuryente na naman

MaskmanReturns wrote on 6 June, 2010, 6:37

143

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oh man,That goes 2 show u that both Abs and GMa r the most biased/wrong info-based media in the

Philippines.It seems like that this things about Noy will never stop as long as the Lopezes exist.This is

the reason why I stopped watching those 2 big network news anymore.

[Reply]

ChinoFReply:

June 6th, 2010 at 7:54 am

I boycott local TV and most movies entirely.

[Reply]

guilbautedsookie Reply:


But to be honest, I MISS THE OLD MOVIES. The old Filipino horror films were more efficacious than

the current ones, like Shake, Rattle and Roll. Plus, the dramas before were really engaging. Now its

like SAM FNG MILBY AGAIN!

I dont watch TV anymore. It turned my hardworking cousin to a regretful Noynoy supporter. SIGH

[Reply]

ChinoFReply:

June 6th, 2010 at 2:08 pm

Yeah, watching Soldier with Redford White and Super WanTuTri was much easier to do than

watching any of todays crap, LOL.

Yellow-Fever Free Reply:


@MaskmanReturns: just a point of clarification, i think mr. federico pascual is referring to Gloria

Macapagal-Arroyo when he mentioned GMA not the network.

[Reply]


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MaskmanReturns Reply:

June 13th, 2010 at 5:11 am

yeah well in that case it really didnt matter whether it is the ousted pres.or not it doesnt matter look

ABS is focused too much on Noy while TV5 and UNTV r now increasing on the intelligent no. of

audience or not? My point here is this if those 2 networks dont stop focusing on Noy then thoseviewers on both networks will soon lose a majority of audience.I think that this is one of the reasons

why those 2 big networks are praising Noy like god because of money and not on the morality of the

viewers.This is my opinion on this matter(my response 2 Yellow-Fever Free)

[Reply]

Markad wrote on 6 June, 2010, 6:37

Manufactured news. Just sad, just sad. Another ABiaS-CBN boo boo?

[Reply]

guilbautedsookie wrote on 6 June, 2010, 8:24

I stopped watching TV na because of this. Now that Noynoy won, ANTICIPATE THE NADIR OF

PHILIPPINE JOURNALISM as if we havent reached it yet.

Sad to say, even Maria Ressa, a CNN veteran, has been controlled like a half-naked woman on anAmsterdam window! IS THIS HOW ROTTEN THE PHILIPPINES IS?

[Reply]

Morga Reply:


I agree with you that Maria Ressa as the news chief of ABS-CBN has overall responsibility for the

overall conduct of ABS-CBN News, though in this specific instance Maria Ressa is not the one to

blame. Ricky Carandang admitted it was his mistake. It is good he admitted it. Carandang is one of the

better anchors of ABS-CBN. If something like this happened in a more neutral network, people would

be more forgiving. Unfortunately for him this happened after a long chain of foul conduct by his other

colleagues (are you listening, Ted Failon?). The good apples are forced to rot with the bad apples.

[Reply]


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guilbautedsookie Reply:


I used to have sympathy for Ted Failon when his wife died, but seeing how he mixed personal views

with objective mediaI lost all respect. HES NO CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR to do that.

Christiane Amanpour does the mixing thing well.

[Reply]

MaskmanReturns Reply:

June 13th, 2010 at 5:13 am

yeah TED is a money making B***H thats it nothing more.He is really an annoying reporter.

[Reply]

Ryan Bosco wrote on 6 June, 2010, 12:17

When you are done reading, ask yourself why there are no penalties when the media commits offenses

like this. Isnt this libel or slander?

I think there are penalties Morga, we just dont enforce them. Along with the media, our elected

officials who dont do their job and their businessmen friends who take advantage of the loopholes in

our laws should be punished as well. They should, but they dont. Kind of makes you wonder why wehave laws to begin with if we dont enforce them; let alone we have laws in the hands of the corrupt

few ruling class. So, if the ruling class does not play by the rules, why should we play their game?

We really need to create a new cabinet called The Department of Discipline and Punishment.

[Reply]

Morga Reply:


Libel requires malicious intent. Malicious intent is hard to prove in court, thats why few libel cases

succeed. ABS-CBN is saying it simply made a mistake. It would be very hard for Federico Pascual to

prove the mistake was made on purpose.

The penalty should be something to do with negligence, similar to fees that are paid when

administrative regulations are violated. For cases like that, there is no need to prove malicious intent.

Simple negligence is enough to warrant the penalty.


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The penalty can be scaled according to the gravity of the act of negligence. Retractions should be

mandatory and given space or air time at least double that of what was given to the reporting of the

wrong, damaging information, so victims do not have to beg the offending member of the media for a

retraction or public apology.

Just to be clear, I am all for supporting freedom of the press. It is not good to put too many restrictions

on the press because that can discourage reporting on sensitive issues. But there must be safeguards

against abuses of freedom of the press.

[Reply]

mel wrote on 6 June, 2010, 14:17

@Ryan Bosco

I like that. The Department of Discipline and Punishment.

Punishment must hurt.

[Reply]

Mike Tan wrote on 6 June, 2010, 15:51

I dont have access to cable so I watch local news. It keeps me oriented on the most important news

like Richard Gutierrez getting close to his newest love-team or how their co-journalist won an

international award for a documentary. Not only that, the super-advanced hologram effect and the

touch-screen technology makes news reporting a lot more entertaining, current, and most of all, COOL!

[Reply]

Miriam Quiamco wrote on 6 June, 2010, 19:10

Its true ABS-CBN cable TV abroad has monopoly of keeping our compatriots abroad ignorant of real

issues. There was a time when I decided to keep track of whats happening to our society by watching

ABS-CBN programs on the net. After a time, it dawned on me that their primetime news stories are full

of gore, bike accidents, causing death here and there, drunk driving, molestations, etc., etc., wow, I

thought, if Filipinos are treated to this fare every single night of the week by a dominant TV station, it is

no wonder that the people are pessimistic about everything the government is doing. I took notice of

one particular news story, that of the supposed bankruptcy of PhilHealth, which I have learned is

actually a successful initiative of GMA. A reporter interviewed Legarda who was indignant about the

alleged bankruptcy, blah, blah, blah. It took them another night to verify this report with a PhilHealth

person in-charge who categorically denied, Legardas suspicions. By then, the overseas viewers who

did not get the chance to see the denial got fed with more unsubstantiated story of government


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corruption, what with Legarda being hysterical and almost beside herself in describing the impending

crisis at Phil Health, where did the money go, kind of accusation.

Ted Failon also has a program about people who are in desperate straits like about one invalid at a

village, family members were interviewed, fully of tearful sentiments and the long and short of it is that

ABS-CBN is now going to help this unfortunate being by taking him to Manila for treatment. . . This

kind of documentary is what ABS-CBN is good for, emotional and self-promoting, not only of the

station but also of its journalists. Jesus, why cant they use the same amount of resources to look at

problems of governance, like corruption and what can we do as a nation to curb it, for we can neverreally eliminate it altogether. Has there been a proven way to curb corruption, like why not legislate

ways to provide public funds for politicians in their campaigns so that they dont have to steal their

pork barrel to prepare for their electoral campaigns, or what are the merits or demerits of a

parliamentary form of government, or how other countries in the region have managed to be successful

and why are we still lagging behind, what can we do to get our act together and finally have a lasting

success story too, not the only the perennial sick man in Asia.

We can criticize the low funding on education, but why cant ABS-CBN come up with documentaries

detailing the sorry state of our educational system and then come up with alternative solutions and put

pressure on the government by rousing public sentiments to go behind solid initiatives for educational

reform. It is not enough to scream and continually say be vigilant, we actually need this media networkto lessen its mind-numbing programs featuring their sexy stars and spend more on meaty documentary

programs. They did something on Hacienda Lusisita but it was already toward the end of the campaign

and again lacking in educational angle, like perhaps, it should have looked at ways on how the

conversion of hacienda into an agricultural estate benefiting the real owners could also contribute to

our food security, backed up by solid evidence. . .

[Reply]

Lilly Reply:

June 7th, 2010 at 10:39 pm

ABS CBN, like certain mayors, like to keep the nations majoritywhich is the poorbeholden to them.

Youre right in noting that theyre focusing more on handing doleouts (sending individual poor to

hospitals to free medical assistance, giving money, Willie Revillame, etc) than actually doing something

to alleviate the root cause of our sorry condition.

They keep the poor impoverished, so ABS CBN will never run out of unwashed large families looking

up to them with hopeful eyes, taking in everything that their newscasters say like gospel.

Sure, theyre just a media company, and to them its just a matter of making sure that business isbooming by catering to their mass majority of poor kept lazy by giving them the hope that even if they

do nothing, ABS CBN is always there to give relief goods even if they dont lift a finger.

But its more than that. Keep in mind that the poor makes up the majority of the country, and as long as

they hold sway over the majority of the lemming minded nation, ABS CBN are the real kings of the

country. Noynoy Aquino is their current figureheada big jump from their poster boy Willie, who dared

go against them by supporting Villar and look where he is now, dumped like a hot potato now that the

brother of their most celebrated (or hated) personality is the effing president of the Philippines.

[Reply]


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Arnel E wrote on 6 June, 2010, 21:23

With so many Kuryentes happening in the mass media regularly and most of them left without

correction, I believe there is malice already. However, indeed it is very hard to prove them in court.

I hope TV5 does better than both GMA and ABS-CBN, our country need the truth badly.

[Reply]

Lilly wrote on 6 June, 2010, 22:49

I think its pretty obvious at this point that the boo-boos ABS-CBN made arent mistakes at all. Its

one big effort to manipulate the country. ABS-CBN pretty much knows the power it holds over the

masseslook at their latest effort to brainwash the peoples minds: The Noynoy Project.

Who was Noynoy Aquino before the media blitz that was propagated by ABS CBN? Oh sure, it was his

mothers death that catapulted him out of the depths of obscurity. But who was actively campaigning to

put the Aquino legacy on an almost mythic pedestal, in order to ensure their dominance over the

airwaves?

They know what theyre doing. Its time to get rid of the mindset that ABS CBN IS A BUNCH OF

INCOMPETENT MORONS to ABS CBN IS A BUNCH OF EVIL VILLAINS FEEDING OFF OUR

FEARS AND NEGATIVE EMOTIONS. That makes our perspectives even more accurate.

Media can make kings. Theyre so good at it, they can make kings out of idiots, but only if they can get

something out of it.

[Reply]

miriam quiamco Reply:

June 7th, 2010 at 12:59 am

You are right, they are evil since they are feeding off our fears, fear of using our minds once and for all

in solving our problems as a nation, fear of confronting the oligarchs who have been in control of our

economy, fear of being rational, fear of actually growing up politically, fear of wresting our minds free

from the stifling controls of the religious and the hysterical members of the media. Additionally evil for

playing with our positive emotions too like our genuine feelings of gratitude to the housewife who took

on the challenge to unite the Filipinos during the most painful part of our political history. Filipinos feel

a true sense of gratitude to the one who died last year, but they shouldnt be blinded into voting for

every unqualified Aquino who vies for public office. The success of the Noynoy project was an

insidious one and quite obscene in the context of the true sentiments felt by the Filipinos towards the

mother. These very noble sentiments were manipulated to further the aims of the oligarchs, sad, sad,


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sad. . .

[Reply]

alab Reply:


Its scary that ABS is using its wide breadth of media power to manipulate the minds of people not only

in marketing an obviously defective product (abnoy) but to put out malicious stories on media men

without immediately retracting it.Is it the case of if youre not with us, youre against us so we will

discredit you?we should stay vigilant with the information our media is disseminating because in the

wrong hands and with the wrong intentions this power can easily be abused

[Reply]

msr wrote on 6 June, 2010, 23:28

watching ABS-CBNs crap makes you feel exhausted, it scrapped down every dignity left being a

Filipino.

[Reply]


June 7th, 2010 at 12:43 am

Not at all, it should be said that the yellow propagandists are the ones rewriting history, by attributing

supernatural powers to the irrelevant relations of the symbol of Edsa I, Cory. Yellow has been turned

into the blood of Christ and is supposed to make people stop thinking and just have faith in the

non-existent qualities of the chose one. They should be ashamed of themselves!!!

[Reply]



sorry, the above should have been posted on another thread, the one on de Quiros.


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[Reply]

Joe Jireh wrote on 7 June, 2010, 0:10

This article says it all re: my indignation against the Filipino Media.

THE FILIPINO MEDIA ARE THE VERY ADVOCATES OF PROMOTING A CULTURE OF

UNACCOUNTABILITY & IMPUNITY.

I cannot say this one to the Media in a more diplomatic manner: DAMN YOU !!!

[Reply]

barbara barado wrote on 7 June, 2010, 2:36

pag nanonood na ng tv patrol sa tfc ang tatay ko.. kinikilabutan ako pag naririnig ko na yung panig sa

katotohanan,panig sa bayan

[Reply]

RvR wrote on 7 June, 2010, 4:02

Media is really very good in disabling the logic of people. I remember a song by john mayer with the

lyrics coz when they own the information, they can bend it all they want.. Media is very powerful

in the sense that they know that when people are exposed to it, and lies are repeated often, people have

the tendency to believe in something that has no factual basis at all. In other words, brainwashed. Kindareminds me of North Korea.

[Reply]

Jay Reply:


Media can be molded and manipulated anyway its possible. It can be like what it is in the philippines,

pretty much Propaganda or it could be meant to inform, such as CNN, BBS, Al Jazeera, or enrich like

PBS and such programs like that. Its just that media in the country stand alone to pump out its

propaganda since there can technically be no rival for it and it has turned nothing more to the pursuit of

money.

[Reply]

RvR Reply:


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Yup! The oligarchs control it and without much competition, the Filipinos especially the masses will

pretty much buy everyhing they say. Sad sad sad

[Reply]

boombox wrote on 7 June, 2010, 5:23

I sorely need a satellite cable nowadays.. starting to like some shows in TV5.. Buti nalang nan dyan si

Lourd.. hehe

enough of this channel Dos/Siete media garbage..

[Reply]

Votoms wrote on 7 June, 2010, 19:12

Utos ni Lopez yan kaya wala sila kahit sino critisized how bad Philippines really is baka masibak sila sa

trabaho.

[Reply]

GCL wrote on 10 June, 2010, 9:09

@ AP,

Just want to share with you what ABS-CBN has failed to report on the 60 PCOS machines from

Antipolo. There seems to be a conscious effort not to tell the public the real story. Just read and be the

judge.

PCOS Machines in Antipolo The Untold Story Part I

Nicanor Perlas

09 June 2010

I wanted to tell the story of the Antipolo PCOS machines more than three weeks ago. At the time, and

until today, the media have continued to post one-sided stories regarding my involvement in the

controversy surrounding these PCOS, the machines that were at the heart of the first national

automated elections in the Philippines. This one-sided and clearly biased and manipulated media

reporting had, in some instances, also resulted in the loss of support from a few supporters who voted

for me.

So I wanted to give a complete picture to surface a fuller truth regarding the Antipolo PCOS machines,

to neutralize the media spin on this issue, and to enable supporters and the general public to make an

informed judgment regarding the highly controversial events that surrounded the drama around the 60


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PCOS machines in Antipolo City.

However, preparation for and participation in events connected with the investigations at the House

Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms as well as the Senate and House Joint Committee acting

as National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) for President and Vice President, ate up most of my time.

But now the Joint Congress Committee has authorized a Technical Working Group (TWG) to conduct a

forensics of the 60 PCOS machines in Antipolo. The Antipolo PCOS machines are now back in public

consciousness. It is therefore time to reveal the untold story surrounding the PCOS machines in

Antipolo.

The PCOS machines, short for Precinct Count Optical Scanners, were at the heart of the recent

automated national elections in May 2010. A few days after the May 10, 2010 elections, tri-media

reported that 60 PCOS machines were found in the house of a Smartmatic technician in Antipolo City.

Smartmatic was Comelecs (Commission on Eections) contractor for the automated elections.

The news immediately raised alarm bells in a social climate where presidential candidates, including

myself, were asking whether the recent national elections were clean and honest. What were the 60

PCOS machines doing in a private house instead of a polling place or another authorized location?

Where they used for fraud?

Unknown to most of the public, on 23 April 2010, Comelec passed Resolution 8823 directing

Smartmatic to store the PCOS machines in the central warehouse of Smartmatic in Cabuyao, Laguna,

after elections.

So clearly, here, was a violation by Smartmatic of the Comelec resolution. The Smartmatic technician

was illegally in possession of the PCOS machines. The suspicions of the residents of Antipolo were

right. The PCOS machines were not supposed to be stored in the house of the technician. It was

illegally being held hostage in a private house.

At this time, the residents of Antipolo were not aware of this legal violation by Smartmatic. They were

just very suspicious about the PCOS machines being housed in a private house. Therefore, they

immediately mobilized their neighbors and friends to surround the private house to prevent the PCOS

machines from being taken away. They also contacted Congressman Lito Gatlabayan, who ran for

mayor of Antipolo City in the recent elections, to come to their assistance.

The number of concerned residents swelled. Smartmatic knew it could not take out the machines. Both

sides called the police to ensure peace and order.

On May 14, 2010, Smartmatic Area Manager Vicente Carlos M. Serrano and Atty. Andrei Zapanta,

Counsel for NPC-NP and representing Congressman Lito Gatlabayan and the concerned citizens of

Antipolo, signed a memorandum of agreement. The MOA was witnessed by Comelec City Election

Officer Atty. Arnulfo Pioquinto, Rizal Province Police Chief, PSSUPT Jonathan Ferdinand Miano, and

Philippine Army Lieutenant Arnel Marcos. In that agreement, they agreed to transfer the 60 PCOSmachines to the Ynares Center Building, the seat of the Provincial Government of Rizal. All parties

agreed that the Ynares Center was a neutral site for the safe-keeping of the PCOS machines.

In the MOA, all parties also agreed that, at the soonest possible time, given the tension surrounding the

machines, IT personnel from Smartmatic, Comelec, and Congressman Gatlayan would jointly inspect

the machine and examine its contents, especially the data inside the secondary flash card. By that time,

a crowd of almost 5000 residents had camped outside the Ynares Center Building. They were guarding

the PCOS machines, 24 hours a day.


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On May 15, 2010, responding to an urgent request from Congressman Gatlabayan and his leaders,

presidential candidates Jamby Madrigal, JC de los Reyes, and myself hurriedly went to Antipolo City.

Congressman Gatlabayan was concerned that Smartmatic would bring in the police to disperse the

crowd and snatch back the PCOS machines. Because of this possibility, and believing that the PCOS

machines contained evidence of fraud committed against him and other local and national candidates,

he also wanted to examine the contents of the Compact Flash Cards (CFC) that were inside the PCOS

machines.

When we arrived, a crowd of around 2000 people warmly greeted us. All four of us (the threepresidential candidates and Congressman Gatlabayan) briefly spoke before the crowd and

congratulated them for their bravery and what they had done. We emphasized that they were doing a

tremendous service to the nation for protecting the integrity of the PCOS machines.

We then proceeded to the office of Congressman Lito Gatlabayan. His office was also inside the

Ynares Center Building. There we discussed, then debated what to do with the PCOS machines. A

much smaller crowd of around 15 local leaders and lawyers listened to our discussion/debate.

Because of the urgency and the uncertainty of the situation, most wanted ALL the machines to be

opened on that day. However, I and the lawyer of another candidate, resisted the attempt to open all

the PCOS machines on that day. I argued that the MOA clearly said that Smartmatic and Comelec hadto be there to witness the opening and testing of the PCOS machines. And one lawyer, whose name

escapes me for now, argued the importance of due process. He was insisting, with my support, that we

had to inform Smartmatic and Comelec regarding our intent to do an examination of the PCOS

machines.

Finally, everyone agreed to do the audit of the PCOS machines on Monday. We also agreed to inform

Comelec and Smartmatic about our intention to open the machines on Monday, 17 May 2010, a

decision that was duly implemented by the lawyers of Congressman Gatlabayan.

The following Monday, before going back to Antipolo, Jamby, JC, and I filed a petition at the Supreme

Court seeking a Temporary Restraining Order against Comelec. The latter announced that it was goingto destroy Compact Flash Cards that operated the PCOS machines as well as delete related data in their

laptops. We all thought that this was a very irresponsible act by Comelec as this could taken as

tampering with election results.

After the Supreme Court, we headed straight for Ynares Center in Antipolo City. When we arrived, we

noted high emotional tension in the area.

Congressman Gatlabayan informed us that his lawyers had informed Comelec and Smartmatic of our

intention to investigate the PCOS machines for fraudulent use, if any. However, Comelec washed its

hands on our joint investigation of the PCOS machines. Their officer, Atty. Pioquino, said that the

PCOS machines were the property of Smartmatic. Therefore, we can do the investigation provided

Smartmatic agreed.

In addition, Smartmatic did a very dishonorable act. Its lawyer penned a handwritten note saying that

they would not honor the MOA between them and Congressmen Gatlabayan. Instead Smartmatics

lawyer asked the Governor not to give the key to the security room containing the 60 PCOS machines.

And not contented with this obstruction, Smartmatic also then asked head of the provincial police to

take possession of the 60 PCOS machines.

Since we had an authentic and duly executed MOA in our hands, we all agreed and decided as follows.

First, we concluded that Smartmatic and Comelec had relinquished their legal right to be present in the


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IT investigations of the PCOS machines. Second, Smartmatic had no right to prevent us from entering

the room containing the PCOS machines. Therefore, we were going to open the door to the PCOS

machine and we were going to do this forcibly, if necessary. And, third, we, together with several

thousand other Antipolo residents, would prevent the police from snatching the PCOS machines away

from the Ynares Center.

We then implemented our decisions. But, first, we, through Congressman Gatlabayan, made several

attempts to convince the Governor to release the keys to PCOS room. These attempts failed.

Meanwhile, the police informed Congressman Gatlabayan that they were moving forward to secure thePCOS machines.

It was clear from these two developments that we all had to move swiftly to access the PCOS

machines. Thereafter, the followers of Congressman Gatlabayan forcibly opened the door of the room

containing the PCOS machines. They broke the lock (which they replaced later on) and entered the

room. Simultaneously the large crowd cordoned off the PCOS area to prevent the police from entering

the room and forcibly taking the PCOS machines.

When we entered the room, most of the leaders, probably due to the emotional demands of the crowd

outside, wanted to open all PCOS machines. I strongly argued that we should open only one PCOS

machine as we wanted to preserve the integrity and evidentiary value of the rest of the machines.Besides it would be easier to closely examine one machine rather than 60 machines all at once.

I also argued that we should have the media take footages of our investigation. I wanted the public to

know how we were conducting the investigations. I also wanted to prevent wild rumors and gossips that

could emerge alleging that we were damaged the PCOS machines. The group agreed.

That media would later on spin the story irresponsibly is their own fiction, not what really happened.

They never gave our explanation a chance to be fully aired to the public.

So we opened one PCOS box. We found a back-up flash card and tried to read its content. We failed in

this effort due to software incompatibilities. Meanwhile, we opened the metal casing protecting the

hardware of PCOS machine to find out what was inside. As I was overseeing the process, I explicitly

instructed the person opening the machine not to tamper with the hardware of the PCOS machine. And

he followed my instruction.

After several hours, the technician managed to start the PCOS machine. When it started, it printed out

a date: 11 May 2010, 1139am. This was our first evidence that the machines had been used after the

elections! Under Comelec General Instructions, election officers were supposed to shut down the

machine after use on the day of the elections, that is, on 10 May 2010.

I went outside to report to the crowd our first preliminary result. They heartily cheered this report.

Later, we found out that other PCOS machines in other parts of the country had been used at different

times, times that were not connected with the official milestones authorized for the PCOS machines.

As we were doing our investigation, we received word that the police force was increasing in numbers.

It was clear that they were up to something. Tensions increased again. I therefore decided to personally

lead a small group to negotiate directly with the provincial police chief, PSSUPT Miano.

From the negotiations, it was clear that the police had been given orders from above to secure the

PCOS machines. The provincial police superintendent also informed us that they now had over 500

policemen securing the area. He also informed us that they had sealed off the area to prevent the

thousands of other residents outside the perimeter fence from joining their 2000 PCOS watchers inside


24 11/3/2010 1



18/24

the compound. Both these developments alarmed and agitated the 2000 or so PCOS watchers inside the

compound. They braced themselves for a physical encounter with the police.

The negotiations continued for more than 6 hours. During these negotiations, the police negotiating

team consisted of PNP head for the province, his deputy, and their regional deputy head. The

negotiations were generally respectful and cordial. It was clear that there had been probably some

miscommunications between the police, Smartmatic, the Governor, and Congressman Gatlabayan.

However, there was a time that the negotiations could have ended abruptly. In the midst of the policewas a lawyer from Smartmatic. This lawyer kept on putting stumbling blocks on the negotiations,

making all kinds of wild claims. It seemed that all he could say was No to all kinds of suggestions.

The point was reached when I had to pointedly ask the provincial head of the police: Whom would

you follow the governor or Smartmatic?

The governor, who has authority over the police in his province, was sending exploratory signals that he

would allow the residents to continue having jurisdiction over the PCOS machines, especially since

Smartmatic, in the MOA referred to, agreed to having the PCOS machines in the Ynares Center. So I

wanted to know directly from the police chief if the power of the governor was enough authority for

him to leave the PCOS watchers in peace.

Not surprisingly, the police chief answered Smartmatic!. I was not surprised because the provincial

police chief had shown his partiality for Smartmatic early on during the negotiations. Also, the

provincial police chief reminded me that he had yielded to everything I had requested, including

allowing the food of the 2000 PCOS watchers to be brought in beyond their barricade.

With his answer, it became clear to me that we had reached the point of stalemate. The negotiations

would only move forward if we had documented evidence, from a higher or the highest authority of the

land, that we had the right to safeguard the PCOS machines.

I went back and forth from the PCOS room to that adjoining place in the Ynares Center where the

police were gathered, to consult with my colleagues regarding our stand and report to them on the

progress of the negotiations. In the process, I saw that the hundreds of policemen and policewomen

were aligned in battle formation and were in full anti-riot gear. I saw also that heavily armed personnel

from the Armed Forces of the Philippines had joined the police. Clearly the police and the military were

preparing a joint operation to forcibly snatch the PCOS machines away from the area and hand it over

to Smartmatic.

After my report of developments to our leadership group, Senator Jamby Madrigal contacted Senate

President Juan Ponce Enrile. Senator Madrigal convinced Senator Enrile to have the Senate of the

Philippines take custody of the PCOS machines. Upon this agreement, Enrile immediately called an

unnamed Commissioner of the Comelec. Because of the potential for a violent confrontation, Enrile

requested the Commissioner to convene an en banc meeting of the Comelec the following day and passa Comelec resolution authorizing the transfer of the PCOS machines to the Senate.

While Senators Madrigal and Enrile were having their conversation, I thought of a solution that would

be acceptable to both sides. By then, I had successfully convinced the negotiating team of the police to

go inside the holding room of the PCOS machines and be there together with the leaders of the PCOS

watchers. In this way, we could speed up the negotiation process. I assured the policemen their safety

and that no untoward event would happen. People were tired on both sides and all parties wanted a

peaceful resolution of the matter.


24 11/3/2010 1



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I convinced my colleagues to allow the police to move closer to the holding area of the PCOS

machines. They initially objected because the followers of Congressman Gatlabayan did not trust the

police. But then we said we can limit the number of the policemen not to exceed more than 10. I

explained to my colleagues that the police had to be able to report to their superiors that they had

secured an area where they can monitor whether or not the PCOS machines were going to be taken

away or vandalized. In the end, my colleagues agreed to this arrangement.

As for the police, I convinced them to remain in their proposed specific area and to promise not to

attack the PCOS watchers to avoid bloodshed. I also informed them of the agreement between theSenate President and a Comelec Commissioner. I assured them that this agreement would be backed up

with the proper Comelec Resolution the following day.

Therefore, at around 2AM, Congressman Gatlabayan and I explained to the PCOS watchers our

agreement with the police. They cheered their approval. Shortly thereafter, I facilitated the entry of a

small police force near the holding room of the PCOS machines. In the end, the police sent a force of

only 7 men and they properly situated themselves in the agreed area.

However, some local members of the leadership group continued to have fears about the

trustworthiness of the police. And they were justified in their concern. Just shortly before the elections,

unidentified men tried to assassinate Congressman Gatlabayan, wounding one bodyguard. Gatlabayanand his men chased the would-be assassins. The chase ended in a police office where the presiding

officer, armed with an armalite, told Gatlabayan and his men to back off.

Thus, I went outside to the media and requested the GMA7 TV crew, the only TV crew left, to continue

monitoring the area. In this way, the police will not be tempted to break the agreement. I also advised

Gatlabayan to ensure that his followers put physical barriers in front of the door to the PCOS room and

surround it with men. This would then pre-empt any surprise move by the police. He assured me that

his men had already planned to do this.

After we made all these arrangements, the non-Antipolo residents, including myself, went home,

knowing the PCOS machines would not be taken away. But we all knew that our task was not yetfinished. After all, Comelec might still refuse to issue the required resolution.

After less than 4 hours of sleep, I then had to rush to attend a press conference organized by the CBCP

in Intrmuros. Jamby, JC, and myself were invited to give some Bishops and the media an update of our

investigations on fraud.

The press conference was significant as this press conference on May 18, 2010 became the venue for

the first public DVD appearance of a masked man claiming massive fraud in the 2010 elections. Later

on, Congressman Teddy Locsin would insult this whistleblower as koala bear due to the appearance

of his mask. What koala bear and others like him had to say, however, will be the subject of another

article.

After this CBCP press conference, Jamby, JC and I went to Comelec and directly to the office of

Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal. Senate President Enrile had advised Senator Madrigal to

seek out this particular Commissioner. An agitated and very unfriendly Larrazabal came out and said

that the Comelec had just passed an en banc resolution transferring custody of the Antipolo PCOS

machines to the Senate. He informed us that the said resolution would be ready in a few minutes at the

Comelec Secretary.

We thus obtained Comelec En Banc Resolution No. 8926, dated 18 May 2010, directing all parties

concerned to have the Antipolo PCOS machines moved to the Senate for custody. Armed with this


24 11/3/2010 1



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resolution, we hurriedly drove from Intramuros to Antipolo City. We were in a hurry because we were

receiving text messages and calls that the policemen, contrary to our agreement, were starting to

surround the whole building and were planning to disperse the PCOS watchers and take possession of

the PCOS machines. I personally advised Congressman Gatlabayan via cell phone to ask the police to

hold off and wait for us as we already had the Comelec Resolution.

When Jamby, JC, and I arrived, we were greeted with wild cheers. We waved the copy of the Comelec

resolution amidst the thunderous applause of the thousands who have gathered to protect the PCOS

machines.

One by one, starting with Congressman Getlabayan, we all thanked the Antipolo people for their

bravery and courage for staking their life in defense of the PCOS machines. In addition, I personally

thanked the police force and its provincial chief for allowing a peaceful resolution of the standoff. We

all realized how close we all were to a violent incident. And we were all glad that we avoided it. The

crowd responded by giving the policemen an applause.

We then went into one last final negotiation with the police regarding the manner of accounting for and

transport of the PCOS machines to the Senate. As directed by the Comelec Resolution, the local

Comelec officer had to take a full inventory of the 60 PCOS machines. After this inventory, the

provincial police chief was to deploy more than 50 police escorts to accompany the PCOS machines tothe Senate.

The inventory process took more than 5 hours. We had to go thru all the 60 boxes containing the PCOS

machines and take a full inventory of what was written outside the box, note whether the box was

sealed or open, and then inventory the full contents of the PCOS boxes that were opened. We did not

open the sealed PCOS boxes.

I personally directed this operation together with the Comelec. I wanted to make sure that the process

was orderly and that the inventory was accurate. I personally stood behind the Comelec personnel

writing the inventory to make sure that she was recording all the details properly.

Eventually, at around 10pm, we finished the inventory and started loading the PCOS machines in an

authorized van hired by Comelec. I personally sat beside the driver to ensure that there were no

questionable last minute maneuvers that would compromise the integrity of the PCOS machines.

Twenty or so policemen in motorcycles, plus three police vehicles, containing high-level police officers

were ahead of us. Behind us were the three escort vehicles of Senator Jamby Madrigal. Jamby was

seated in the car immediately behind the van. And behind Jamby were the vehicles of JC de los Reyes

and Congressman Lito Gatlabyan and his supporters. It was a long convoy involving more than 300

people.

Eventually we reached the Senate building. Senator Enrile and his people were waiting for us. One by

one Senate personnel unloaded the PCOS boxes and machines and stored them in a special room in the

second floor of the Senate building. The personnel of the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms took a careful

inventory of the machines. They also received the original copy of the inventory that Comelec and I did

in Antipolo of the 60 PCOS machines. We finished at around 1AM the following morning.

The journey with the 60 PCOS machines from Antipolo had been long and arduous. It was also filled

with a lot of tension and a real potential for a violent clash between the police and the people seeking

the truth regarding these 60 PCOS machines.

Why had Smartmatic and the Comelec, and their police apparatus, put up such a stiff, almost violent,

opposition to the rightful investigation of these PCOS machines that Smartmatic had illegally stored in a


24 11/3/2010 1



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private house in Antipolo? Were they hiding something inside these machines?

The Senate President promised to have a full-blown forensic investigation of these machines before the

Joint Congress would canvass the votes for President and Vice-President. But Senator Enrile never

delivered on his promise. Instead he rushed the canvass by a Joint Committee of Congress (not Joint

Congress itself) and allowed only a truncated investigation to take place on June 4, 5, 7, and 8, the last

days of the canvassing. These investigations were terminated yesterday and had no value as far as the

canvassing and proclamation of the top elective positions in the country were concerned.

In a follow up article, I will report on some of the disturbing preliminary findings we have discovered in

our official investigation of the contents of the PCOS boxes, the content of the compact flash cards of

the machines, and the peripheral accessories inside these boxes. We cannot allow illegal maneuverings

to hoodwink the Filipino people that they just conducted a successful and honest national election. We

would then be abandoning and betraying our duty as active and concerned citizens of the Republic of

the Philippines.

[Reply]

Morga wrote on 21 June, 2010, 8:35

Ricky Carandang has been suspended by ABS-CBN for 2 weeks as penalty for this gaffe. But you

know, it is people like Ted Failon who deserve to be suspended more than Carandang. Carandang is

rumored to be the next press secretary or some kind of head of some kind of communications team of

Noynoy Aquino (he has several people doing the communicating for him). Dear Noynoy, youll be

better off with Carandang as your spokesman and ditching that hellcat Lacierda.

[Reply]

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ben 10:40

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs945.snc4

/73863_10150295508285254_696745253_15731247_1879538_n.jpg

BongV 09:57

also like Samurai-X - ex-samurai - for the free marketBongV 09:31

kinda like Aeon Flux

peste 08:18

i'd address that question to other AP readers who may happen to know of Eden of the East

peste 08:17

btw, chino, do you know the anime Eden of the East? suppose it happened in the philippines, how

would the story progress?

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