BANTAY-SALAKAY TEAM

Watcher’s Training
MAY 14, 2018 SYNCHRONIZED BARANGAY
AND SK ELECTIONS

AMA LEGAL GROUP

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WHAT IS THE BANTAY-SALAKAY TEAM?

BANTAY
refers to the POLL WATCHERS

SALAKAY
refers to the POLL COUNTERS

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 Why do we need to have a
Bantay Salakay Team?
 Because getting the most
number of votes is no
longer enough to win an
election.

 Election results could

be easily cheated
through “Dagdag-
Bawas” operations.

 If they can do it to FPJ,

they can also do it to
you!
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 If you get cheated because your watchers and
counters lack proper training, you will spend
more money litigating your election case.

 The high cost of a recount is shouldered by

the complaining party.

 This discourages cheated candidates from

pursuing legal action even if they were truly
cheated and have sufficient evidence to prove
it.

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 Why is there a need to
train Poll Watchers and Poll Counters?
 Because innocent mistakes by election officials are bound to
happen.

 Because you don’t trust the other candidates, their supporters and
some election officials.

 Neither do they trust you. 

 “It is always better to be safe than sorry.”

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 Teamwork

 For the Bantay-Salakay Team to function

effectively, all members should work as a team.

 Poll watching is very simple.

 But poll watching as a team in a systematic

and effective way is very difficult.

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BANTAY-SALAKAY TEAM

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 Members of the Bantay - Salakay Team

 Poll Watchers (BANTAY)

 Poll Counters (SALAKAY)

 Poll Supervisors (RUNNER)

 Paralegals

 Handling Lawyers + AMA Legal Team

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 Two (2) Poll
Two (2) Poll
Watchers
(Salakay)
(Bantay)
(2nd shift)
(1st shift)

Casting of votes Counting of votes Transmittal of

election
6:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. returns to the Canvassing
BOC
Preliminaries to Preliminaries to
the Casting of the Counting of
Votes Votes

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 Candidate

Campaign Legal
Manager Team

BANTAY-SALAKAY TEAM

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 Qualifications of a Poll Watcher (BANTAY)

1. Qualified voter of the barangay or a member of the

Katipunan ng Kabataan in the assigned barangay;
2. With a good reputation;
3. Shall not have been convicted by final judgment of
any election offense or of any other crime;
4. Must know how to read and write Pilipino, English,
Spanish or any of the prevailing local dialects; and,
5. Not related within the 4th civil degree of consanguinity
or affinity to the chairman or any member of the BEI in
the polling place where he seeks appointment as a
watcher (§ 178 of B.P. Blg. 881).

Note: Incumbent Barangay Officials including tanods are

not allowed
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 Presentation of Credentials

 Upon entering the polling place, the Poll Watcher

shall present and deliver the Appointment of
Watcher to the BEI Chairman.

 The appointment shall bear the personal

signature or the facsimile signature of the
candidate or the duly authorized
representatives of the political party or
coalition of political parties who appointed
him.

 The Poll Watcher’s name shall be recorded in

the Minutes of Voting and Counting of Votes.
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Sample “Appointment of Watcher” Form

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 Rights and Duties

 Right to stay in the space reserved inside the polling

place.

 Right to witness and inform themselves of the

proceedings of the BEI.

 Right to take notes of what they may see or hear.

 Right to take photographs of the proceedings and

incidents, if any, during the counting of votes, as
well as of election returns, tally boards and ballot
boxes.

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 Rights and Duties

 Right to file a protest against any irregularity or

violation of law which they believe may have been
committed by the BEI or by any person.

 Right to obtain from the BEI a certificate as to the

filing of such protest and/or of the resolution
thereon.

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 Rights and Duties

 Right to have an unimpeded view of the ballot

being read by the Chairperson, of the ER, and
the tally board being simultaneously
accomplished by the Poll Clerk and the Third
Member;

 Right to read the election returns after they shall

have been completed and signed by the
members of the BEI without touching them.

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 Rights and Duties

 Right to be furnished with a Certificate of Votes,

duly signed and thumbmarked by the Chairman
and all the members of the BEI.

 Note: The refusal of the Chairman and the

members of the BEI to sign and furnish the
Certificate of Votes is an election offense.

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 Why Get a Certificate of Votes?

It is admissible in evidence to prove tampering,

alteration, falsification or any anomaly committed
in the election returns concerned.

 Failure to present any Certificate of Votes

shall be a bar to the presentation of other
evidence to impugn the authenticity of the
election returns (§ 17, R.A. 6646).

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POLL WATCHERS

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 The Poll Watcher should be able to detect and challenge:

Illegal proceedings of
the BEI (e.g., indelible
ink not applied on
voter’s fingernail)

Flying voters

Casting of votes Counting of votes Transmittal of

election returns
6:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. to the BOC Canvassing
Preliminaries Preliminaries to
to the Casting the Counting of
of Votes Votes

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 The Poll Watcher should be:
Familiar with the
voters of his
precinct assignment

Familiar with the

correct procedure
for the casting of
votes

Casting of votes Counting of votes Transmittal of

election returns
6:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. to the BOC Canvassing
Preliminaries Preliminaries to
to the Casting the Counting of
of Votes Votes

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 The Poll Watcher should:

 Be at the polling place before 6:00 in the morning to

attend and observe the Preliminaries to the Casting of
Votes where the BEI conducts an inventory of the
election paraphernalia.

 Immediately accomplish a Watcher’s Report

(Certificate of Appearance) or an Inventory Report
right after the Preliminaries to the Casting of Votes.

 Later on, the Watcher’s Report (Certificate of

Appearance) will be collected by the Poll
Supervisors (RUNNERS).

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 The Poll Watcher should:

 Ensure that the Voters’ List remains posted at the door of the
polling place during the casting of votes.

 Ensure that the BEI will follow the correct procedure in the
casting of votes.

 Challenge illegal voters.

 Ensure that the BEI Chairman applies indelible ink on the

cuticle of every voter’s right forefinger nail.

 Ensure that the ballot box is not stuffed with “extra” ballots by
the BEI.

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 POLL COUNTERS

Elections 2007 Guerrero & Aceron Law Offices 28

 The Poll Counter should:

Know how to detect illegal proceedings of the BEI

and mistakes in the appreciation of ballots and in
accomplishing election documents
Know how to send Quick Count results
Know how to escort the Election Return from the
precinct to the BOC

Casting of votes Counting of votes Transmittal of

election returns
6:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. to the BOC Canvassing
Preliminaries Preliminaries to
to the Casting the Counting of
of Votes Votes

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 The Poll Counter should:

Have common sense and brains

Knows simple arithmetic
Have a flashlight

Casting of votes Counting of votes Transmittal of

election returns
6:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. to the BOC Canvassing
Preliminaries Preliminaries to
to the Casting the Counting of
of Votes Votes

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 The Poll Counter should:

 Attend and observe the Preliminaries to the

Counting of Votes at 3:00 in the afternoon.

 Immediately accomplish a Watcher’s Report

(Certificate of Appearance).

 Later on, the Watcher’s Report (Certificate of

Appearance) and the Certificate of Votes will be
collected by the Poll Supervisors (RUNNERS) and
forwarded to the Legal Team for canvassing
purposes.

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 The Poll Counter should:

 Concentrate on the reading of the ballots by the BEI

Chairman and the recording of the votes on the Election
Returns (and not just look at the Tally Board).

 Object to any misreading or non-reading of the ballot.

 Refuse that the Election Returns be prepared after the

counting of the votes and not simultaneous with the
counting.

 Obtain the Certificate of Votes from the BEI.

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 REMINDERS FOR WATCHERS & COUNTERS

 Should have cellular phones, ballpens and notebooks.

 Should make sure that:

 every challenge made and every significant activity taking place

inside the precinct are recorded by the BEI on the Minutes of
Voting and Counting of Votes; and,

 demand that objections to any ballot be recorded on the Minutes

of Voting and Counting of Votes and be resolved immediately
(before proceeding with the counting) and be given a copy of the
ruling.

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