General Admission
Another farce—and we just do nothing
By Al S. Mendoza
WE hold another farce tomorrow a.k.a. barangay elections.
It is a farce because it is another day when we allow again the politically powerful to impose its farcical force on the weak.
It is a farce because it is another day when the moneyed prevail anew over the no-money folk.
It is a farce because the real voice of the people will remain muted just the same at the end of the exercise.
Like most Senate probes held on alleged scams—the Napoles heist included—tomorrow’s event is another exercise in futility: Nothing of significance will come out of it.
Tomorrow’s winners, with a few exceptions, will just actually use their positions again for ego-trip and, to the more enterprising, self-aggrandizement, if not stash away ill-gotten wealth.
In fact, that is more the rule than the exception: Only a handful will adhere to their sworn duty to be the servants of the people.
That has been the crooked commerce since so-called democracy was restored in this country in 1986.
It is a cycle as vicious as the typhoon season: It comes every year (the curse of calamity) without fail to inflict havoc on the hapless us—not to mention that a killer quake could just suddenly happen because our country, sad to say, is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, as what happened when Bohol and Cebu got hit by a 7.2 magnitude temblor.
If there is one good thing about tomorrow, it is that it is a holiday—a time to both reflect plus enjoy the beauty of uninterrupted rest.
My friend, the eminent lawyer Rico Agcaoili, has lent his valuable voice on tomorrow’s election.
His mind is something worth reflecting on since, as usual, he speaks sense:
“There have been more than 50 barangay election related deaths so far and by the end of the exercise, there will probably be more! Injuries triple the number! If this is democracy, I do not know why we are allowing it! Elections should be canceled in areas where there is violence. Reason: These areas are not ready for the exercise. DILG will appoint officials. This is the only way to learn! Otherwise, anarchy and not democracy will prevail. The same should be applied during National Elections. After all, if we claim to be a democratic state and independent for over a hundred years, we should show it! The irony is that our leaders seem to have accepted violence and killings as part of politics and democracy in our country! How sad, Pareng Al!”
Pareng Rico’s discourse is, by far, the most sensible of them all.
I hereby move that it be made into law. ASAP.
Will P-Noy, if not DILG chief Mar Roxas, please stop and listen?
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