Poll Automation Heroine from Pia-gapo (Article from Mindaview)

Poll Automation Heroine from Pia-gapo

          It actually started from a loose talk on the just concluded poll automation. From his experience of humiliation as PPCRV pollwatcher in Bulua National High School, Cagayan de Oro City Sir Knight Greg Meneses of newly established Oscar Ledesma Assembly of 4^th Degree in Bulua, and St. Peregrine KC 13558 very active Program Director was simply in his best element. He  readily acknowledged  that he received humiliations, harassments and insults from various officials more than what  he could bargain for  in his assigned precinct. But what could he do he was merely doing his job. That’s why he readily  begged the question hearing various envelopes containing sensitive documents  reportedly dumped by dumptruck in basurahan in Cagayan de Oro whose owner through its  plate number was traced from Zamboanga but whose important documents unloaded were reported to have come from Puntod Polling Precinct, Cagayan de Oro City. Until the talk was digressed to that Pia-gapo hero.   No matter how many serious  the humiliations and beatings I got, such  was practically peanuts compared to that BEI of Pia-gapo, Lanao del Sur, he gamely conceded with one wish – lobbying her to any  award giving body for recognition and cash money why not as token of her  bravery in protecting PCOS Machine from otherwise would have been subtle manipulation or heaven knows, destruction.  Who just knows given the hostility and unpredictability of her polling precinct.

With that, SK Greg Meneses drive  home the message hitting right the mark.. Newly installed SK Boy Barrachias, retired military officer who happens to have served Pia-gapo and the rest of municipalities surrounding Lake Lanao in his prime before his retirement, could only nod for the heroics of that BEI who took upon herself the security of PCOS machine when the going in her poll precincts as reported  got tough. I do  know the place having been there for many decades during my tour of duty in the military, SK Boy Barachias, cleared.  Our predominantly Muslim brothers  given their culture specifically their penchant in holding on to power and resistance for possible election threatening their powerbase what with most likely  cheating of the opposing camp (and or vice versa!) during manual count impossible to happen save for electric Garci  in poll automation, would just  like taking  any chances. Ergo, the Pia-gapo incident.

             Well taken! But here’s the catch before dishing out that most important question.  Have they already  been paid of their P4,300.00 allowance by the COMELEC?    That alone would be great consolation to BEI workers who toiled all day long protecting and doing their job. That hero from Pia-gapo represents thousands of BEI workers in the entire country.  If they have not, the better they think their sacrifices just to have that poll automation held successfully. From there, we could probably starts either or not to fete that Pia-gapo lady with distinguished award.  Why really not? The area happens to be problematic among municipalities identified in the watchlist of COMELEC.  And where guns, goons and gold reign supreme and rampant, one must have the heart of steel and fearless disposition to cope up  with the pressure. What with your clients ready to fire at the slightest provocation. Most importantly, where culture of bloodbath lord over race, family and religion. In sum, she picked the task with gung-ho attitude and wanting to drive home her message: participate in poll automation or none at all.

            You should volunteer next time to get what she means.  That what makes her gallant show of force by her lonesome self very important. I did for many occasions for the love of the country to determine how far that evil in man allows those wannabes to go. One of those occasion netted for our group more than ten  irregularities from vote buying to ballot snatching. It was such disgusting experience that you feel like you’re not interested to join such crusade  next time anymore. It’s probably in such situation that many lose their belief in our electoral system that they shun away in any electoral process staging their own boycott. That incident happened in a relatively peaceful municipality.  Now think its counterpart locality if your enthusiasm to assist and help would not  be dampened.  What more if your safety is threatened and your life hold in the balance waiting Damocle’s blade to fall, the likes that happened of  today’s hero from Pia-gapo.

            Just how systematic irregularities in the watchlist area was shared to me by a couple who has been there and played the game as mandated by the powers-that-be during the conduct of manual voting.  The ploy revolves around the almighty money. It’s all about money and the promise it gives from getting the position, power that would secure additional more money once elected. Just don’t gripe. You can have windfall once your turn comes.  For the meantime as it is our time, just cooperate. You may not and there would ensue possible trouble. Thus to secure the victory in the polls, the three “G’s” are unleashed in full throttle during election.

The votes as predetermined and are delivered clean.  Occupants in a house including minors are counted. They are just left there and somebody else vote for them.  We move swiftly like military voting  from one precinct to another, they narrated. How about the indelible ink, I questioned.  It’s there but it’s not used on us, they narrated meaning the Powers-that-be has all control on officials and people operating the election. That’s all our job, just voting in as many voting precinct there is in as many  municipalities thus securing the victory of our Big Boss who contracted our job.

It’s scary but real. Such would have been the precedents had poll counting was manual. But many thanks that the ordeal was over. But that could only possible with the help of  that Pia-gapo hero.  Thanks for you whoever you are.  I know lobbying this cause as SK Greg Meneses and Boy Barachias are doing is tough as this might fall in deaf ears.  However, it is this column’s fervent wish that your cause and crusade depending the success of the just concluded poll automation would see daylight. It’s now up to Dep Ed and COMELEC to take the cue from this suggestion. Or who knows PGMA reading this would come into your rescue. If people in the military gets spot promotion for exploits and doing job well done, why not for her validating the cause of poll automation whose time has finally come.