A SURVEY says honesty is the top criteria from voters in choosing candidates in the May 13 elections.
Another survey shows candidates who deny their pork barrel scam, their college records, their misusing government funds, are among the top 12.
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From a Facebook post: We are more likely to get fooled during Election Day than April Fools’ Day.
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Another one from Facebook: April Fools is canceled given how much we believe in Fake News.
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By saying all politicians are not honest, Sara Duterte is the most honest politician.
Some say this slip was her honest mistake.
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El Niño and elections is a deadly combination.
Three years ago on April 1, thousands of farmers from North Cotabato, affected by drought barricaded the streets in their capital Kidapawan City demanding rice subsidy. They were dispersed by bullets from the police. Two farmers died. Dozens injured in the most gruesome way, with bullets piercing their mouth, their neck, shattering a leg. Dozens were arrested including the elderly and the pregnant.
The police chief that led this operation is the police chief of this city. No police official has been relieved due to this incident.
This year, another massacre in Canlaon, Negros Oriental. Police reportedly pursuing NPAs rounded up instead 14 farmers. Reports said the police first led the families out of their houses, brought the farmers out, and were shot. There were no warrants. What did the farmers do to warrant this end?
Is this the fate of our farmers facing empty fields and promises?
As their land bleeds dry and disappear into plantations and subdivisions, when they raise their hands to tip the coffers, they are silenced with bullets. But there will be no deafening silence as we find answers for the way they were treated.
There will be no silence for justice to this bleeding land that never laughs at the killing jokes we have been hearing these three years.
tyvelez@gmail.com