Fil-Am activist Melissa Roxas recently revealed her ordeal as she was abducted and tortured by "military agents" (her claim) while doing outreach work in the Philippines last May.
The computerization of the 2010 elections seems to have gone under with the withdrawal of the Filipino Company that would've partnered with Smartmatic, a Brazilian Consortium that won the bid.
I am saddened that in this age of the internet where we have gained by leaps and bounds the enormous ability to communicate -- in the Philippines, we seem to have slipped back to the dark ages. The Arroyo administration's dismal human rights record is troubling, most especially since our lawmakers in Congress and the Senate seem to be unwilling to investigate or pursue justice for the victims. The torturers are more sick than the participants of the latest sex scandal, if you ask me. The sadistic use of force, under the guise of duty, is a blatant disregard for another person's fundamental rights. Sad that we still have such occurrences this day.
With the looming back-to-manual tabulations of our elections in 2010, if indeed we will have elections, will show the entire world that the Philippines does not pursue true democracy.
Worse, we have shown the whole world that Filipinos suck when it comes to keeping their end of a deal.
Philippines 2000? More like Europe ca. 1100.
POSTSCRIPT (July 3) As of this evening, it was announced that the computerization of the 2010 elections shall push through after all. Smartmatic and their Filipino partners have come up with an agreement amenable to both.
POSTSCRIPT (July 30) In the news tonight, Melissa Roxas has met with Gen. Palparan and again stayed true to her recounting of her abduction and torture. Is this the new Guantanamo? Tsk, tsk, tsk... Gloria... and you have the nerve to go to the White House?!
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