Written by 3-jt Consulting and Services

Campaign for honest elections in RP launched in Austria

Written by Hector Pascua

by Hector Pascua, ABS-CBN News Europe, Austria | 12/08/2009 12:00 AM

Twenty five Filipino advocates attended the official launching of HOPE (Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Election) awareness campaign last November 30, 2009 at the Pfarre Breitenfeld in Vienna.

In his opening prayer, Fr. Mars Sahulga, a Filipino priest based in the city, prayed for the families and relatives of the victims of the mass murder in Maguindanao. The priest also summoned all migrant Filipinos abroad to continuously monitor the situation and contribute to the effort to address the culture of impunity and make those responsible for these atrocities and human rights violations accountable.

The organizers of the awareness campaign presented to the participants a historical background of the electoral process in the Philippines.

Manny Sarmiento of the Pinas First Movement in Austria said that election fraud, violence and political dynasties are the major factors in getting manipulated or rigged elections results in the country.