Posted by Lani Estepa on Sunday, May 6th, 2007 at 11:48 am

    It’s been a scorching summer thus far, with the daily temperature going as high as 35 degrees C and political temperature has been as hot, what with the increasing number of election-related violence we see and hear in the news. The election season in Lapog has been marred with the murder of Engr. Percival Bitonio, husband of mayoralty candidate Mrs. Amelia Bitonio. Though it has not been officially considered as election-related, Lapog right now is rife with speculations, which I would rather not elaborate on. If it is any indication at all, the Comelec officer of Lapog, Ms. Pablita Piros has been temporarily transferred to Santa, for the remainder of the election period. In her place is the Comelec officer in Santa who will serve in San Juan during the election.

    Judging from the way money is overtly changing hands this election season, it is disheartening to note a further deterioration of values surrounding this very sacred right, the right to vote. I hear people talk openly about voting for the candidate who can give them something, anything, but most especially money. My dear, departed uncle, Fr. Loreto Viloria, used to call this political prostitution. How have we come this low? Poor implementation of election laws is partly a factor. All over the nation, candidates have cooked up their ingenious ways of attracting people – from giving away cheap life insurance policies to prepaid cellular cards. Although the Comelec is clear that giving anything of value to the voters is a violation of laws, there’s just no stopping the candidates. Makes me wonder whether the Comelec is indeed sincere in implementing these laws.

    In previous societies, people risked everything fighting for this right. Here in the Philippines, Filipino women started fighting for suffrage as early as 1902 but it was only in 1937 that they were granted the right to vote. I lament people’s disregard and lack of appreciation for their sacred right to choose their leaders these days. They treat this right like a stock certificate for sale to the highest bidder. The Filipina suffragists must be turning in their graves now.

    While the National Movement for Free Elections has again partnered with the Catholic Church to conduct a quickcount via the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), there is no emphasis on guarding the election process from cheating, especially in the municipal and provincial levels. Why? Because it’s a futile effort. Much of the election cheating has already occurred even days before voters troop to the polling precincts; by election day, most people have already sold their votes.

    Could we blame poverty? Perhaps, but are people too dumb and stupid to realize that a thousand pesos in exchange for their vote will not even last them a week, while the consequence of voting for corrupt leaders will last for three years? Or have people become too materialistic that they are now blinded by money? We complain about our lack of access to our right to quality education; we cry foul when our right to justice is denied; we denounce the government when our right to peaceful assembly is met with teargas and a phalanx of policemen. Yet, we have no compunction about selling our right to vote. Maybe we don’t deserve democracy after all.

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    Filed under: Just crossed my mind, Local Politics, May 2007 | You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.