Foreign observer denies report

CABANATUAN CITY - Disputing earlier reports circulating in the province of Nueva Ecija that a foreign observer was shot and killed, the team leader of the International Observer's Mission '07 debunked the ugly rumors, saying, "We feel safe in the countryside."

Reached through his mobile phone, American Larry Emery informed this reporter that this "ugly report" is fathest from the truth, saying "We feel safe in the countryside and, hopefully nothing much more than a stomachache will befall their group."

Together with their local counterparts here, the "Compact for Peaceful Elections," led by Jigs Claymore, Emery expressed confidence nothing untoward will come to them well knowing that Filipinos are hospitable people and reasonable to a fault.

It was learned that on election day, the foreign observers group paid courtesy to officer-in-charge of the Nueva Ecija police Senior Superintendent Alfredo Caballes.

Caballes said he offered the foreign observers group security but which they declined.The foreign observers observing the conduct of election here were were Australians Jason Grant Bray, Nathah Paul Woodard, and Swiss Lars Granberd.

They had a briefing with the various members of the "Compact for Peaceful Elections."Meanwhile, Comelec provincial election supervisor Atty. Emmanuel Ignacio urged NAMFREL to proceed with its own canvass of the votes cast and to finish it as soon.

"We have to proceed with and finish the canvassing as soon as possible to take the heat off from us," he said. - MAGTANGGOL C. VILAR