Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez was right to berate those behind the threat to bomb the poll body’s office if a certain candidate loses because of fraud.
A bomb threat is not to be taken lightly, especially when it is intended to force the hand of the Comelec for a candidate. Jimenez was referring to the Tiktok video by one @berta137 (Rhobie Bautista) that warned the Comelec about rigging the elections. “Comelec, umayos kayo ha. Ngayong darating na election, dapat walang dayaan. Subukan nyong dayain si Bongbong Marcos, subukan nyo lang, papasabugin namin kayo, magkakagulo dito sa bansang Pilipinas, tandaan nyo yan,” that person said. (Comelec, do your job correctly. This coming elections, there should be no cheating. Try cheating Bongbong Marcos, just try, we will bomb you, there will be chaos in the Philippines, remember that.)
Jimenez considered the statement as “a clear bomb threat” and said the video was “just one of several we’ve found using the same words and possibly the same audio.” He then said in a Twitter post, “Candidates should condemn this madness.”
The person in the video did not categorically say there is a bomb at the Comelec office or there will be a bomb planted there but in this situation where tensions are increasing and any incident or statement could trigger violence, mention of “bomb” or “papasabugin” will have to be taken as a serious threat. Just like in airports or airplanes, bomb jokes or even the mention of the word “bomb” can mean imprisonment.
What Comelec can do to take the threat seriously is to ensure the May 9, 2022 exercise will be clean, honest and credible. No more mistake of handing out of ballots with candidates’ names already shaded or chosen. Ensure that the sanctity of the ballot is protected.
It is not enough that Jimenez warned those issuing the threats. It is up to the Comelec to prove the election results can be believed and upheld.
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Some voters do not give importance to the selection of their party-list representative. They either leave blank that portion of the ballot or they select based on a perfunctory look at the candidates’ qualifications.
Here’s one party-list representative that is seeking reelection by presenting legislation it introduced at the House of Representatives. The Senior Citizens Party-list represented by Rep. Rodolfo M. Ordanes will be in Cebu to present what it has done for senior citizens. Among them are the bills passed in the House and now pending with the Senate on increasing the social pension from P500 to P1,000 per month; having early voting time for seniors; and granting more cash benefits to seniors beginning at age 80 up to 101 years old, at which time the senior gets P1 million.
Ordanes will hold a face-to-face meeting with seniors organized by the Philippine Association of Retired Professionals Inc. (PARP) on April 23, 1 p.m., at the Amethyst Boutique Hotel Cebu along M. Velez Street, Cebu City.