EDITORIAL - Mistaking Castillano for the windmill

  Any fool can see that the finger gesture Comelec Cebu provincial supervisor Marco Lionel Castillano flashed while being photographed was a spontaneous act no different from similar acts or gestures any person with a sense of humor often makes at picture-taking occasions.

That he is an election officer and the sign he flashed was that of the One Cebu party whose candidate for governor, Pablo John Garcia, had just filed his certificate of candidacy, the reason for the picture-taking with his family, does not in any way mean anything.

Gestures, when made spontaneously and in the spirit of fun and in the lightness of the moment (say cheese, remember?) should never be construed as an act of malice or an indication of bias or favor to any party.

Being spontaneous, Castillano may not have even been aware that he made the One Cebu sign until he made it, and anyone who ascribes any ill motive in the gesture should first take lessons in understanding human behavior, or better yet retire from the human race.

For life is so full of fun. Even in moments of seriousness there is always an element of fun. That is why, in picture-taking, we are asked to smile, jump even. Or should the complainant against Castillano ask us to look dour, fearing any smile may mean something sinister.

Candidates who run for public office should not be seized by paranoia because if they allow themselves to be so seized, then there is every meaning that can be woven into every smile, smirk, sneer and sniffle, that they just might go nuts before election day.

Have a life, candidates. And disabuse your minds about Castillano. Surely you do not think that if he ever favored anyone, that he would show it so brazenly and openly and have himself photographed showing it. Sweep the cobwebs away and have a little common sense.

Or maybe Castillano should just offer himself to be photographed with the complainant and flash the rival sign. Surely PJ Garcia has a finer sense of humor and would not mind. He just might even flash the rival sign himself, to really rub the joke in.