Barangay elections are theoretically non-partisan. This means that the philosophies along which political parties are organized and the principles that bind them together are not supposed to be the ones pursued by barangay personalities in their quest for elective positions in that level. As a consequence, political parties are prohibited from meddling in the barangay elections. They are not supposed to put up candidates carrying their colors either in groups or by their lonesome. So, such popular parties as the Liberal, Nacionalista and others should not lend their names to any candidate.
Personalized campaign is also a main feature of this non-partisan characterization of barangay elections. Candidates vying for the elective posts in the communities are to present themselves to the electorates not as stalwarts of recognized groups but in the very personal way they are known to their neighbors and friends. They weave into their personal traits whatever plans they have for their communities.
Along that reasoning of personalized campaign, groupings are not allowed. There are no line ups to speak of. No candidate for barangay captain is supposed to lead a team of seven aspirants for barangay council seats. Each one seeking to become punong barangay or kagawad is on his own.
The idea that electoral contests in the barrios be freed from political partisanship is to allow individuals to launch their search for government service on the basis of their personal capacities. There is also the perception that some undesirable practices are observed by political parties. So, we can safely conclude that this ideal of non-partisan barangay election is a most lofty one. Because each candidate is supposed to be known by the voters who are living in their communities, their contest is a competition of their brains and hearts. He who is perceived to have such love for his community as to lay out a good plan for it and is believed to have the mental capacity to pursue it, gets the nod of his electorate.
But, this non-partisan character of barangay election is an ideal that does not have factual basis anymore. It is, in practice, very much corrupted.
In the case of our city, it is, from reports I have gathered, a reality that the power wielders in the city administration continue to prostitute barangay candidates. Despite the legal principle against group campaigns, city officials demand upon barangay personalities to form certain line ups for election purposes and worse, they dictate who should are the team members.
In Barangay Kasambagan, this city, I have seen two city councilors who twist the arms of local personalities into forming a team. They directly interfere in the process of elections. One worker of an aspirant in our barangay, for example, was approached by the honorable city councilor. In the presence of many rah-rah boys, this councilor asked the worker to stop helping the aspirant! What was despicable was that he seemed to have added the words “or else” as if to buttress the fact that it was a threat of some kind. Of course, these city legislators will deny their illegal act by professing ignorance of the law that they violate, but “ignorantia legis neminem excusat”.
If this law on non-partisan barangay elections could not be implemented, it better be repealed. There is no worse a mockery of our statutes than seeing them wantonly violated by no less than those who are supposed to uphold the laws. Anyway, such repeal seems to be a most convenient escape in much the same way as the attempt to legalize gambling simply because our government cannot enforce anti-gambling laws. But, if the ideal is needed because it is still capable of reshaping the destiny of our country, government must implement it and let the ax fall where it should.
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Email: avenpiramide@yahoo.com.ph