All concerned political parties, associations or organizations participating in the party-list system of elections, and COMELEC-accredited citizens' arms and/or OFW organizations are entitled to one (1) watcher during the voting and counting of votes for overseas absentee voting in HK SAR.

 

For this purpose, each of the above-mentioned groups shall submit to the Philippine Consulate General, copy furnished the Committee on Absentee Voting of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), its list of watchers per Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI) not later than 09 April 2007.

 

Twenty-two (22) SBEIs were constituted for the conduct of the elections in Hong Kong SAR from 14 April to 14 May 2007.Additional SBEIs for the counting of votes will be activated, if necessary and/or depending on the actual number of voted in HKSAR, on 14 May 2004.

 

Per COMELEC guidelines, if there is no sufficient space for all watchers to be accommodated, preference shall be given to the watchers of the dominant majority and dominant minority parties as determined by the COMELEC, one (1) common watcher for the independent candidates, one (1) common watcher for the accredited citizens' arms and one (1) common watcher for accredited OFW organizations.

 

QUALIFICATIONS OF POLL WATCHERS

 

No person shall be appointed watcher unless he or she satisfies the following requirements under the law:

1. he or she is a qualified overseas absentee voter in the

2. is of good reputation;

3. has not been convicted of any election offense or any crime;

4. knows how to write and read English and Filipino;

5. is not related within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to the chairman or to any member of the SBEI in the Post where he seeks appointment as a watcher

Violation of the above requirements constitutes an election offense under the Omnibus Election Code.

 

DOCUMENTS TO BE PRESENTED BY POLL WATCHERS TO THE SPECIAL BOARD OF ELECTION INSPECTORS

 

All pollwatchers shall, upon entering the polling place, present and deliver to the Chairperson of the SBEI their APPOINTMENTS. The appointments of the watchers shall bear the facsimile signature of the candidate or the duly-authorized representative of the political party, organization or coalition of parties who appointed them or of organizations authorized by the COMELEC.

 

For this purpose, registered political parties, organizations or coalitions authorized by the COMELEC, and accredited citizens’ arms and OFW organizations shall provide the COMELEC and the Philippine Consulate General with the names and specimen/facsimile signatures of their representatives authorized to appoint watchers on or before 30 March 2007. 

 

RIGHTS OF WATCHERS

 

The pollwatchers shall have the right to:

1. witness and inform themselves of the proceedings of the SBEI

2. take note of what they see or hear;

3. take photographs of the proceedings and incidents, if any, during the counting of votes, as well as of the election returns, tally board and ballot boxes/receptacles;

4. file a protest against any irregularity or violation of law which they believe may have been committed by the SBEI or by any of its members or by any person;

5. obtain from the SBEI a certificate as to the filing of such protest and/or resolution thereon;

6. during manual counting, read each ballot after it shall have been read by the Chairman, as well as the election returns after it shall have been completed and signed by the members of the SBEI without touching such documents;

7. be furnished, upon request with a certificate of votes cast for the candidates duly signed and thumbmarked by the Chairman and all members of the SBEI.

Watchers shall not speak to any member of the SBEI, or to any voter, or among themselves, in such a manner as would disturb the proceedings of the SBEI.

 

The general public is requested to await further announcements regarding the conduct of overseas absentee voting in HKSAR.