57 people dead, including women, lawyers, and journalists just because a group of people wanted to file a certificate of candidacy. Elections hasn’t started yet. Naturally, the international community is appalled. It is reminiscent of Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge, only this time it is not a matter of clashing ideologies but unmitigated greed—for power, money, and more power and money. In the Philippines, running for public office is an investment. A candidate has to recoup his capital. How does he do it then? Corruption. How does he profit? More corruption. And when he or his family can no longer run for public office (generally allowed 3 terms of 3 years each), he so casually resorts to murder and violence. These are the people we elect??DON’T VOTE . IT IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME AND EFFORT. EVERYBODY HAS AN INTEREST TO PROTECT AND POLITICAL DEBTS TO REPAY. So what should Mang Pandoy do? Well, if he has a relative abroad, simply migrate and get away from this political hellhole they call the Pearl of the Orient Seas. If he cannot go abroad or loves this country , stay , just go about your business, try to make a difference-even a small one-in other people’s lives, and more importantly, leave the political monkeys to themselves. Perhaps, the only sign of political maturity we can hope for is complete indifference. Unlike Gandhi’s passive resistance, there should be active indifference. Filipinos are so politicized, they forget what they are running for or voting for. SO GO OUT AND CHOKE.
