Editorial
Frustrating and revolting
THE barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections last week were at the very least frustrating and at worst revolting.
For starters, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) was a disappointment. They have since owned up to the delays and other blunders that took place and have even apologized for the agency’s shortcomings. But acknowledging and saying sorry for the mistakes are not enough. Investigations should not be shelved until those responsible are held accountable for their actions. Without a corresponding punishment against those liable, we can expect the same errors to happen come the next election. And such errors give a window of opportunity for something even worse – cheating in the elections. The first ever computerized national and local elections last May 10 was a bigger challenge and somehow the Comelec pulled that through. We expected better from our election officials.
The worse thing about last week’s election was how vote-buying, among other flagrant violations of the Omnibus Election Code, was rampant. It used to be that these corrupt election practices, which seriously undermine our democratic system, were solely observed during polls for national and local government positions. Now they are no longer the sole franchisee of the money-for-vote business. As the elections last week showed, barangay and SK elections have now also gotten involved into the dirty dealings and Comelec appeared powerless to stop these.
What was particularly appalling was the SK elections across the country because that was a critical political stage for our country’s youth — touted as the training ground for the future leaders of our country. The reality is, SK now appears to be beyond redemption. The last elections have shown that the call for the abolition of the SK is warranted and we support it. But it must be clear the blame is not entirely on the young candidates and the organization’s officials themselves but mainly on their elders who made sure that the very system has eaten them up will continue. Their involvement in corrupt behavior are mainly because of the intervention of protective parents and elders with their shameless values.
If we want better leaders for our barangays, towns and cities, the province, the country in the future, then let’s do the basics. Until Comelec strictly enforces the election laws, we will continue to elect public officials who blatantly flout the laws of the land, making the cycle of corruption seamless.
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