Friday, October 26, 2007 Seares: Oops! Wrong race By Pachico A. Seares News Sense
AT least three candidates in Monday's barangay elections are running for the wrong office.
In Day-as, Cebu City, Mike Ocleasa, who wanted to be reelected barangay captain, is running for councilman instead. So is another barangay captain in Bantayan, Cebu: downscaled to councilman. In Naga, Cebu, a councilman is running instead for barangay captain.
Not their real choices.
Each made a huge mistake: filling up the wrong certificate of candidacy (COC).
Now, don't ask whose fault it was. If thousands of other candidates filled up the right COC, how could the three guys goof?
Someone said Comelec forms for barangay captain and councilman looked alike and color-coding would have helped.
But hey, even one with what a public official calls the IQ of a "lanzones" fruit can distinguish Form A from Form B. Pre-school kids would have spotted difference between "barangay captain" and "barangay councilman" on a scrap of paper.
Besides, if an aspirant didn't bother to read at least the job title in his job application, maybe he doesn't deserve more than a rung higher than that occupied by the average dolt.
Unresolved
Are the three blunderers in worse state than dentists and magicians who, when making a mistake, are supposed never to say "Oops!"?
What seems certain, with "Oops" or quiet whimper, the three barangay poll bets aren't likely to see their mistakes corrected before Oct. 29.
With local Comelec's reputation for consulting the head office for the simplest problem, the issue won't be resolved before voters are pressed to decide about electing people competing in the wrong race.
