THERE will always be missing names in the voters' list. How the Commission on Elections (Comelec) can't seem to perfect their list is really a big question mark. Thus, we will hold the Comelec accountable for this.
We just have to pound it into the Comelec's collective head that they have the public to serve efficiently and that being instruments of cheating makes them the biggest cheater. Of course, that is with the hope that they are not corrupt through and through and still believe in real public service. We can always dream, can't we?
The greater let-down, however, is that vote-buying is still prevalent.
That this is the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections makes it more appalling because, this just shows the level of audacity of these cheating candidates. Cheating is cheating, yes, but cheating where people who know you witness you doing such is a whole different level; and that is the level of the barangay and SK elections, where many people know each other and are witnessing who are doing the underhanded means to get the votes.
It's a sad reality that we still have to fix, but that reality will stay on if we continue to tolerate such practices as voters.
As we all know, in a democracy, majority wins, and if majority will refuse to cull the rotten from the good, then there will always be the rotten politicians, young and old, who will be getting the positions they lust for.
Here's to hoping that those who bought votes this barangay election did not win. But we will only know that if the people themselves will say who bought votes as against who won.
Bottomline, we all have a hand in this.