Thursday, July 12, 2007 Editorials: Blocking ballot boxes’ retrieval
DEPLORABLE the mauling of Sun.Star chief photographer Alex Badayos last Monday in Bogo was, the incident was but part of a bigger concern.
Tension arose because Mayor Celestino Martinez Jr. and his people blocked the implementation of an order to retrieve four ballot boxes needed for the Bogo canvass.
The move’s objective, if observers were to be believed, being to stall the canvass after lawyers of the Martinezes went to the High Court for a temporary restraining order.
At that time, Benhur Salimbangon was leading over the mayor’s son, Tining, in the fourth district congressional race with only four election returns still to be counted.
Coincidentally, Tining’s lawyers did not attend that day the Manila proceedings of the special board of canvassers, which declared Salimbangon winner in the evening.
Blockade
Thus, claims by the Martinez camp about not having control of their “emotional” supporters who mobbed Comelec officer Marchel Sarno and company may not wash.
Those supporters not only had the daring to snatch a ballot box already in the custody of Sarno and maul Badayos but also blocked the entrances of the City Hall.
There could be reason for people to believe, then, in the observation of Acting Cebu Provincial Police Director Carmelo Valmoria that the incident was orchestrated.
Conduct
Martinez would go the rounds of media explaining his defiance and complaining about “grave abuse of authority” by Eddie Aba, head of the special board of canvassers.
But using force through dubious “people power” in blocking the implementation of the order of the Aba board won’t get him the public sympathy he obviously craves.
The act did not do any good to Bogo, which only recently has become a city, as it painted a picture of a place that couldn’t follow the norms of civilized conduct.
That it was done at the City Hall made it even more objectionable.
Could have been worse
While the complaints of the Martinez camp may have been legitimate, these did not give it the license to use questionable methods in addressing its concerns.
That incident in Bogo could have deteriorated into something worse than just the mauling of Badayos and the Martinez camp could not have evaded responsibility for it.
