BAÑOC
The recent plan of President Rodrigo Duterte in postponing again the baranggay election and suggesting that he himself would instead appoint baranggay officials drew mixed reactions.
There are those who totally agree with the President. Others are totally opposed, and there are also those who agree with the postponement but frown on the idea of allowing the President to appoint barangay officials.
Those who agree in toto with the President believe that the scheduled election this coming October is bad timing, considering that the drug syndicates are still powerful. Consequently, they will join the political game by pouring their resources on their candidates so that if they win, they will become protectors of their illegal business.
It is public knowledge that barangay elections nowadays are even worse than the national election. For instance, in the level of senators, congressmen, mayors, etc., these people become rivals in one election but they can easily reconcile and turn into friends in another election. This is not the case in the barangay.
Relatives, friends and neighbors who become enemies in the barangay election can hardly reconcile after the election. In fact, during vote buying, which in reality cannot be avoided in the Philippine political landscape as of this time, the amount of money involved is more shocking to the senses than in the national election.
There are candidates for barangay captains and councilors who even sell their properties so that they have money to spend during the campaign period and during the day of the election. Even if in theory the barangay election is nonpartisan, in reality candidates will ask funding from their mayors and congressmen to help them in their huge expenses. The latter are also willing to extend financial help to barangay candidates so that they can use them as their leaders also during their election. That is how politics works.
Because of the inevitable financial needs of those who run for barangay elections, candidates are vulnerable to temptations to accept money from the drug lords. Of course, there are good people who will not accept the money offered by the drug lords, but there are also many who could not resist the temptation because of their ambition to win. Worse, there are others who do not wait for the offer but initiate in asking, soliciting or extorting from the drug lords to bank roll their candidacy.
President Duterte was not born yesterday. His experience as mayor for 20 long years means he isn’t ignorant of this scenario. So his suggestions have valid basis considering that, according to him, 40 percent of the barangay officials are involved in drugs.
With all due respect to those who totally disagree with the President, they also have their own valid reasons. They believe that the election should push through as it is mandated by law. Such election was already postponed for one year, so they cannot afford to extend it again for another year. They want the people to exercise their rights to suffrage.
Those who partially agree with the President to postpone again the election this coming October but disagree with his appointment the barangay officials also have their justifiable reasons.
I think that with the data mentioned by the President on barangay officials involved in drugs and with our observation that drug syndicates are not yet totally paralyzed, it is better to postpone again this year’s election. The President should incapacitate first, if not cripple, the drug syndicates so that they cannot anymore have any influence in the barangay elections.
Subsequently, there is no need for the President to appoint baranggay officials. He should allow the people to choose their leaders. This is the essence of democracy.
While majority have trusted the President, they are also apprehensive if he will appoint the barangay officials because we know that he does not know personally those people whom he appoints. He will rely on those who will be recommended by his trusted people. This is the point that worries many.
The suggestion that the Catholic Church and other citizens can nominate three citizens in each barangay is a nice idea. But the big question is will the church be receptive to that idea? Remember, the church refused to join the Tokhang with the police. Can the President expect the church leaders to participate in nominating good citizens?
There is an absolute need to break the back of the drug syndicates. There is no other time. But it should also be balanced with the people’s right to elect their leaders. Postponing the election to achieve the goal does not violate said right, if a law will be enacted to that effect. However, appointing barangay officials is an entirely different matter. We may be introducing a cure worse than the disease.