DAVAO CITY –— The May 9 elections has defined the choice of the Filipino people. The journey has divided the people, from political belief to the country of want,
Changing the guards in the country never came easy but in the end the people decided and had chosen leaders of the land.
For many especially the Mindanaoan’s believe that the outgoing Duterte administration is leaving countless legacies for the long abandoned Mindanao Island and elsewhere in the country.
For Duterte’s critics, Philippines remains a country of want but the thirst for power ended when every Juan dela Cruz and Hoi Poloi decided whom to entrust the country last May 9.
The PPCRV has spoken and they believed there was no magical hand behind the Victory of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and technology was not used to advance his interest but the will of the majority prevailed in our homeland.
The local elections was however marred with massive vote buying and vote selling especially in areas where politicians rule as a family and act as mobsters to corner votes, voters can read the writings on the wall.
In many areas, vote-selling and vote buying were compared to Coronavirus Disease vaccines, the first dose (first tranche) was P500; the second dose was pegged at P1,000 and another P1,000 as booster which was reportedly distributed during the elections.
Orlando, a farmer from Maguindanao told Newsline in vernacular “I received 4,000 and other members of the family also received the same amount.”
Asked how it was given? “It was contained in an envelop with a sample ballot and it was given Monday dawn.”
Asked if he voted to the politician who gave him money, he answered in affirmative “I don’t want to compromise my security and that of my family.”
Political analyst Ramon Beleno, a professor at the Ateneo de Davao University in an interview with Newsline said “We received reports of massive vote-selling and vote-buying .
Beleno emphasized “Vote buying, Vote-selling was higher especially when it involves more than one member of a political family, We heard about it, it happened.”
In some areas, deliberately or discreetly, military and police personnel and even officers were seen moving around with the politicians who were busy distributing money but no one says they are in cahoots with the eager-beaver victors because people believe they too are beholden to money.
Money changed voters mind-because they believe they owe their vote to the highest bidder, unmindful of the possible effects of those cash and in kind to the coffers of their own city or municipality.
There was failure of elections in Tuburan Lanao del Sur due to skirmishes and presence of armed groups. While in Maguindanao Province harassment and threats were also reported but after the elections no one came out to file a case.
Indeed, money flooded during the elections but no one came out to complain as it was everybody’s game.
Filipino voters still remain uncertain on how to properly cast their votes based on the ongoing Random Manual Audit (RMA) of the May 2022 polls, said Commission on Elections James Jimenez.
People who are still recovering from the economic halt brought about by the Coronavirus-19 pandemic opted to receive the money which changed their political preference as Filipino culture of indebtedness hunt their conscience unmindful of what comes next.
Given the equation one can only hope that those who used money to change the decision of the people will succeed in spelling out their campaign promises.
