Pakurong is real
By Leonardo Micua
TOMORROW, May 12, the people will go to the polls to elect leaders who will take the mantle of responsibility in governing them for another three years for local officials, and six years for the senators. We just hope and pray that they will be making the right choices.
We were neither deaf nor blind to hear and see many incidents of vote-buying. There were long queues in many places we’ve visited.
Let’s admit it. Vote-buying and selling are accepted norms in Pangasinan in every election. Voters regard the election as an opportune time to have their hands greased with money from politicians, waiting until the dead of the night for the vote-buyer to silently visit their houses to hand over rolled cash in exchange for votes.
This is known in the province as pakurong.
Since Monday, jeepney drivers have been complaining of few passengers as people stayed home to wait for pakurong, which comes in the form of cash, or rice and groceries.
Since vote-buying and selling could not be stopped even if the Commission on Elections had activated the “Kontra Bigay” task force nationwide, I hope those who received money and ayuda from politicians still use their God-given conscience in choosing our leaders, not based on who gave the most.
Those monetary benefits and groceries only last for a day or two, but the politician who spent money buying votes will recoup his expenses by stealing from the coffers. Or worse, after using public funds to buy votes.
On this score, may I suggest to the voters to vote for the people who are God-fearing, known for their integrity and honesty, and who have no record of squandering people’s money ever.
In many towns and cities, I was informed that the holders of GuiConsulta cards were luckier. After presenting their respective cards in ‘buying centers’, each got P1,600 instant cash (note: not P1,700 since the P100 was retained by the person who distributed the bonanza). These cardholders already got P300 when they earlier registered.
Newly registered cardholders received the full amount of P2,000, my source said.
Please tell me if this scheme of registering voters availing of health services is not a form of vote-buying.
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With only a day left before the election, only a miracle can save Senator Imee Marcos, who was now ranked 15th to 16th in the latest OCTA Research survey. A latest survey shows Imee clinging to the 12th spot.
Camille Villar has a bigger chance in the senate race, my source said.
Imee and Camille danced with the wolf in the person of Vice President Sara Duterte, which may have endeared themselves to the DDS (Duterte Die-hard Supporters), but earned the scorn of the Marcos loyalists.
Imee will only have herself to blame if she is not reelected. As the manang of President BBM, she had the biggest chance, but she wasted that advantage when she decided to question how former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the international police on March 11 and flown on the same day to the ICC facility in The Netherlands.
I hope Imee makes it, being one of only two senatorial candidates from Ilocos Region. The other is our own Raul Lambino who is unlikely to win. Anyway, this is only his first try in the senatorial race.
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A recent report reaching us talked about how contractors and suppliers of the provincial government have banded together to support former Gov. Amado Espino IIII, a big boost to the latter’s comeback bid .
It means this group has turned its back on incumbent Gov. Ramon Guico III, for many reasons, among them the abrupt rise in quarry fees being charged by the provincial government or people acting on orders of a provincial government official.
Contractors said the quarry fees under the past Espino administration were reasonable.
Incidentally, I talked to Councilor Bong Gorospe of Urdaneta City, a contractor, who confirmed that when Gov. Guico was mayor of Binalonan, he had an issue with him over increased quarry fees in his town.
He paid, but still Guico had his trucks and loader seized, accusing him of illegal quarrying. These were only released when Gorospe threatened suits.
Gorospe, a member of the team of Mayor Julio Parayno III, believes that in a fair play, Espino will win hands down against Guico.
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