Press Release
May 17, 2007

KIKO JOINS MEDIA IN CONDEMNING MOVES TO
BAN MEDIA COVERAGE OF CANVASSING

Independent reelectionist Kiko Pangilinan condemned moves of COMELEC officers to ban media coverage of the election canvassing proceedings. He cited the moves of COMELEC election officers in Roxas City, Capiz to ban media coverage of the canvassing of votes. He also expressed support for the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, KBP and independent media associations to continue to promote transparency in the counting of votes.

"I am alarmed by moves of local COMELEC election officers to ban media from covering the counting of votes. The case in Roxas City was only one example of this illegal and unconstitutional move of the COMELEC. And I would not be surprised if it was to happen elsewhere.," Kiko said.

"The right to information is enshrined in the Constitution. Candidates and our voters have every right to learn and know the status of the canvassing of their votes. Although there are poll watchers that are there to protect the votes and candidates of certain parties, the rest of the general public can only know so much from them, which is why media plays a very crucial role in letting the voting public know the status of their votes," Kiko added.

"The right to suffrage is also a basic human right, and our voting public has also every right to guard their votes. The media can help expose any possible anomalous behavior that can result in manipulation. We're not saying that there is any result manipulation though; we're just saying that barring media could encourage it. It does not help establish trust in the COMELEC, in our electoral system, when already there exists so much anxiety and doubt over the counting," he said.

"We call on the COMELEC to respect the rights o our people, to promote press freedom and the public's right to information. We call on the media to remain vigilant and steadfast in our fight for transparency and accountability," Kiko ended.

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