The homestretch

THE political campaign is in the homestretch.

As we have seen the past decades, it’s that time when kid gloves are off, vote-buying is rampant, civility is thrown out the window, laws and rules are flouted like they never existed, emotions are high, shrewd partisanship begets violence. Blood relations are strained owing to opposing political affiliations.

Worse, the Commission on Elections is helpless in strictly enforcing campaign and election rules. 

Only vigilance and discernment on the part of voters can make some sense of it all.

Only higher visibility of police can possibly contain any thoughts of violence between political partisans. Only prayers and vigils by congregations can help provide spiritual guidance.

But thanks to technology, smartphones are a great deterrent. They are in the hands of practically all voters and residents. Any suspected illegal or anomalous activities by politician can now be recorded and posted in social media on real time. 

Our suggestion, therefore, to smartphone users: Make a difference for the country. Be the eyes and ears of our countrymen who not only yearn for orderly and peaceful elections, but for credible elections, for election of worthy public leaders of our communities and country.  God speed!

‘Bikoy’ buking again

FIRST, the masked man “Bikoy” appeared on internet to say Bong Go has a tatoo on his back that links the President’s most trusted aide to a drug syndicate.   When Bong Go, whose spectacular jump to the Magic 5 in the recent survey for 12 Senate slots seems to propel him to virtual victory in the May polls, bared his back to photographers, not an iota of tattoo appeared. Verdict? “Bikoy” is a genuine purveyor of fake news. Early this week, “Bikoy” was at it again.  He said the posh Misibis Bay Resort in Cagraray Island, Albay, is the center of Bicol’s drug trade, claiming the hotel’s basement has a drug laboratory and on the second floor is found the “control room.”  When the police and the Bicol media came for an ocular inspection, they saw nothing. Buking (bum steer). The hotel did not even have a single basement, nor a “control room.”

Again, nice try, “Bikoy.”

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