The last barangay election in Quirino was quite amusing. The barangay chairmanship was hotly contested between two powerful families of the same clan. In the blue corner is the incumbent, and opposite him is the wife of the former barangay chairman turned-municipal councilor.
It appeared to be a very hot contest – which can be compared to the rivalry of Ong and Angara families for the gubernatorial seat some years back – with attacks ranging from wealth issue of the other party up to the heavy accusation of vote buying. One of them actually commented in his miting-de-abanse “namimigay na po sila ng pera sa Amianan”. One of his supporters carrying a very huge flash light also told us, on our way home, “bumabaha na ng pera sa Amianan”.
With such suspicion in mind, on the eve of the election day, the accusing party organized a massive and exaggerated anti-vote buying campaign. The other party, having the same suspicion with the other, countered with the same tactic, but with lesser manpower. The accused party owns a Delica van, and wherever it goes, it was followed by the accusing party’s supporters.
It just so happen that three of the accused party’s councilor bets were my relatives. That makes us (which means our entire clan) and the accused party’s supporters a target of CIA-type spying. What they (accuser’s supporters) are doing may be is a covert operation, but it is hilariously very obvious!
I took picture of a pick-up truck that repeatedly passes in front of our house, having a speed of 1km per hour with its lights off. The driver noticed the flash from my camera and went back in-front of us without saying a single word. As it is dark, I didn’t see his facial expression. It eventually went away, maybe thinking that we were all threatened (sigh). I was never afraid as I have the full force of law backing my right to do what I have just done. It never passed in-front of our house again.
Early morning, my brother who served for the elections was preparing for his tasks. He went to the municipal office to get information and materials and noticed that he was being followed by the accusing party’s supporter. These are just few of the spying incidents that have happened during the critical hours before the elections.
I have no reason to object their right of protecting the constituents’ votes. The thing is, they have already crossed the line. When the accusing candidate has declared in his miting-de-abanse that his contender is already giving away money, I think he was hugely misinformed. The crowd he was referring to was actually the people who attended the birthday celebration of one of Amianan residents – who is a notorious member of the opposition. At that point that he was proclaiming to the whole world the crime his opponent is suppossedly doing, his supporters during his miting-de-abanse were distributing free candies and other foods to the audience.
At the time he was declaring that the other party is guilty of vote buying, he has already put the jobs of those her sister has employed, collectively known as Papaya boys, hanging in the balance depending on which candidate they will choose.
I have no reason to object their right to suspect that their contender was buying votes. The thing is, they have suspected that their constituents to be immoral and corrupt by selling their votes. They always mention that Quirino is a great barangay, but don’t they realize that having a great barangay requires having great residents? And being great means saying no to any type of corruption, including selling of votes?
Besides, vote buying is the last resort of a desperate candidate. And who do you think is the more desperate in winning the seat? Who is more desperate of public attention? Who is more desperate in gaining “some” respect? Of course, the one who has mediocre accomplishments.
Or has no accomplishments at all.
