Thoughts on the recent 2022 election results
(and how concerned folks disagreed in it)
Contrary to the official statements from government sources, it seems that the "peaceful" and "orderly" elections are tainted by scandals. For as the Marcos-Duterte duo, in collusion with those from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), are manipulating the 2022 elections right before the people.
As shown by recent reports, of malfunctioned machines to that of vote buying sprees, this bullshitry brought by the duo is being carried out brazenly and supported by its apologists to justify the return of the Marcoses to power.
However, such bullshitries ain't accepted by many. Except for a few who chose to concede, people demand for the truth. The almost nightly mass demonstrations across the country showed that Filipinos demand transparency for the elections, if not expressing how their bet, that of Leni Robredo and Kiko Pangilinan are the real winners of the election.
Especially after the recent junking of the remaining disqualification charges by the COMELEC, the great number of people further expressed outrage, that along with thousands of malfunctioned voting machines, vote buying incidents, preshaded ballots, to that of harassing people, the biggest steal, Thus, a great number of people are justified in their outrage against the Comelec over the thousands of malfunctioned vote counting machines. The bigger steal, however, was carried out by the Duterte-appointed Comelec preprogramming of the Smartmatic vote counting machines that shaved and padded votes in favor of that Marcos-Duterte 'uniteam'.
Such bullshitries ain't a proof of peaceful and orderly elections. With Duterte appointees in the COMELEC, Dennis Uy for logistics, or even Imee Marcos as chairwoman of "Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms", isn't it undeniable such first impression that an opportunity to turn votes into their favour may happen? What more that since votes are automated chances of manipulation courtesy of some programmers may happen till enough to appear that Marcos won by a "wide margin" with apologists claiming it to be a "landslide victory" over their detested Robredo!
But will the folk just accept that preprogrammed victory? Nope. As shown by recent events, the Filipino folk have enough of tyranny from its policies and actions alike. Of course, apologists would cry populist alibis like "fighting against the dreaded oligarchs" that supported Robredo, or demanding a "revolutionary government" this time under Marcos, in some comments in social media sites like Facebook there are those who wished for Martial Law to happen, if not blaming the "pink crowd" for their arrogance and "toxicity"; but the broad masses of workers, peasants, unemployed, small professionals alike are all fed up with corruption, half-baked promises, empty rhetoric, overspending on police and the military, extrajudicial killings, illegal arrests, abductions, torture, uncontrolled government borrowing, increasingly burdensome taxes, low wages, unemployment, rising prices and economic crisis due to neoliberal policies.
On the other hand, there are those from the middle class who tend to blame on "the masses" for "voting a thief", of arrogantly asking why do they vote for Marcos, and yet failing to urge the same masses to vote for a better candidate other than him.
But despite this fiasco those who are truly concerned about the country cannot yield to their delusion of “unity” with those of the corrupt and the despot. Yes, the urge for unity is urgent, but to be led by a coterie of corrupt and despotic men seems to spoil the hopes and aspirations especially that of the common folk. For sure last Saturday the atmosphere of unity in Makati did truly resonate not because of the free food, songs, artists involved, or the fame brought by Robredo and her team; but that of the folk themselves had enough of the bullshitry caused by the regime’s half baked promises, corrupt practises, and various forms of oppression and injustice. Sometimes yours truly wonder: how could those from the other side of the fence chose to heed Bongbong Marcos’s rambling? Or by accepting the social divide with one group staying together in an air conditioned tent, enjoying sumptuous buffet while the rest wanting to go home after given crumbs? Wouldn’t be surprised if they will cling to their idol right or wrong- especially that they gain some bucks at the expense of principles.
To be honest this election means a renewed, intensified resistance. Especially with the fact that the president on the first place represents the order that person meant to defend, no matter how rotten it is. And through the years, by seeing the Marcoses rehabilitated both politically and economically, includes distorting information, glorifying their "legacy" as the country's "golden days" despite tarnished by injustice and indebtedness. They tried to remove the fact that the Marcoses have evaded punishment despite conviction over a number of cases accusing them of corruption and human rights violations, only to be defended by Duterte who himself admitting he's admiring the late tyrant.
Perhaps, right was Malcolm X that struggle is by “any means necessarily”. Until when people just accept the totality of the ballot when same corrupt, despotic men will rule?
