From the Newsrooms: Persistent problems in barangay elections; Rodrigo Duterte faces criminal complaint

A rundown of key events and issues covered by newsrooms from October 23 to 29, 2023

AS THE first Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataang elections in five years, the October 30 vote provoked more than perfunctory interest from media. The Supreme Court ruled last June that the law that delayed the grassroots polls the second time was unconstitutional, ordering its conduct on this specified date. 

Media coverage started as the official period for filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) set the official election season on August 28. News accounts picked up incidents of violence related to the polls as victims were identified as incumbent barangay officials. Some candidates were attacked immediately after filing their COCs. CMFR noted that these were reported mostly as crime stories, citing information from police without establishing the pattern in the violence. In the last week before the polls, media reported shootings of candidates for barangay council in Cotabato City and in Davao de Oro.    

News reported the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) announcement on October 23 that it was placing the town of Libon in Albay under its control, quoting Comelec’s description of the municipality’s “documented history of politically motivated incidents.” Media had reported the assassination of four incumbent barangay officials in the municipality in last week of August. Because of the murder of Governor Roel Degamo and eight others on March 4 this year, Negros Oriental is the only province to fall under Comelec control, although other hotspots were under watch.

Comelec Chair George Garcia in an October 25 briefing said that in terms of peace and order, barangay elections, compared to national elections, have been historically more problematic, requiring mobilization of more police. 

Meanwhile, news outfits reported more challenges.

The Philippine Star on October 29 cited the warning expressed by Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos that voters must be alert when there are more than two poll watchers per precinct. More poll watchers could indicate potential vote-buying. The bureaus of the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported on October 29 several forms of vote-buying, including the distribution of food or financial aid (ayuda) and health cards with QR codes that can supposedly track who the voter elected.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) last October 28 found a curious case in Caloocan City of a barangay with only two registered residents but with 210 voters, per Comelec records. Even the candidates were not residents of the barangay. PCIJ said it asked the Comelec for clarification, but has not yet received any information from the agency. 

The five years since the last barangay vote have not seen much work to address the issues that plague elections even at this level. Violence has escalated and some problems, such as vote-buying, have remained the same. The importance of this basic unit of government has been discussed by some journalists. But the attention to these issues are generally seasonal and routine. 

Newsrooms have to keep track of the problems recorded in their coverage to probe for more ideas about solutions that can help to make to make the electoral exercise more efficient and more meaningful. 

PH abstains from UN resolution on Gaza

Media reported on October 28 that the United Nations passed a resolution calling for an immediate truce between Israeli military and Hamas militants. The resolution gained 120 votes in favor and 45 abstentions, while 14 states including Israel and the United States voted no. 

Local reports headlined the Philippines’ abstention, citing UN Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo who said that Israel had the right to defend itself and that the resolution did not condemn the October 7 Hamas attack.

Rappler recalled that even with the abstention, the Philippine government has in previous statements publicly expressed support for “elements” within the resolution, such as respect for international law, access to humanitarian service and  the release of hostages.

Meanwhile, news.ABS-CBN.com featured security analyst Chester Cabalza, who said the resolution called for a “tricky balancing act” by the Philippines. Israel has been a long-time ally and a supplier of military arms for the country. But Cabalza also strongly suggested reviewing the abstention in the light of the humanitarian needs of Palestinian civilians. 

Criminal complaint against Rodrigo Duterte

Mike Navallo gave it due emphasis in the secondary headline of his report on October 24: “Duterte faces first criminal raps since the lapse of his presidential immunity.” On that day, ACT Party-list Representative France Castro filed a grave threats complaint against the former president before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.In an SMNI program last October 11, Duterte threatened Castro, who was among the few lawmakers who led the questioning and scrutiny of confidential funds sought by his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte. The live interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy aired the former president’s claim that when he was still the mayor of Davao City, he used intelligence funds to kill communists, and that he advised his daughter to do the same and make Castro the first target.

All free TV primetime programs aired the story on Castro’s complaint, although they placed it in different blocks of their respective newcasts. TV Patrol aired it around fifteen minutes into the program.

In print, all Manila-based broadsheets reported the story, except for Daily Tribune. Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine Star and Manila Standard gave it front page prominence.

This difference in treatment is curious, and raises the question: Are some media still afraid of Duterte, still unwilling to highlight anything negative about him?