WITH Election Day just around the corner, attacks and counter-attacks by candidates seeking various positions in the barangay council and Sangguniang Kabataan are expected to worsen.
This calls for more vigilance on the part of the Commission on Elections (Comelec). As candidates try every trick to snap victory, they tend to commit more violations.
After all, a win is a win and there is no substitute for victory.
But the Comelec seems to be incapacitated to ensure fair elections.
It lacks manpower and more so, it has depleted resources. Given a limited mobilization fund, it cannot hire additional workers to safeguard the sanctity of the ballots.
Needless to say, the Comelec can only supervise the polls but not the whole exercise. How about the police and the military?
Well, their role in the polls is to ensure peace and order, not necessarily the conduct of honest and fair elections.
They will be deployed to thwart evil plans by frustrated candidates or their supporters.
They will be assigned in polling centers to help the Comelec in making sure that the voting and the counting of votes will be orderly and smooth sailing.
With the admission of the commission that they don't have the appropriate number of workers needed, volunteers become very crucial in achieving clean elections. Will there be groups willing to help the Comelec?
Other than the church-based election watchdog, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, there seem to be no takers. Some observers have asked about what happened to the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel).
Unfortunately, the organization only becomes active during national elections. In smaller polls like the barangay election, sad to say, it's nowhere to be found.
Is it true that there are four political groups hoping to win the majority of barangay seats in Bacolod City? Other than the "Grupo Progreso" of Mayor Evelio Leonardia and "Grupo Serbisyo Publiko" of former Mayor Monico Puentevella, two other groups being led by Abang-Lingkod party-list Representative Stephen Paduano and Councilor Ricardo "Cano" Tan have reportedly emerged.
There has been no confirmation from both Paduano and Tan but talks indicated that they are supporting candidates in several barangays.
It is been circulating that Paduano and Tan are eyeing the city's mayoral post and might contest the seat against the incumbent Leonardia.
Shall we expect a three-cornered fight for mayor in next year's polls? If that happens, Leonardia will easily win a reelection.
With a solid base, the incumbent mayor will not only have an upper hand, he will also enjoy a quite insurmountable advantage over his rivals.