Comelec really needs more teeth

The barangay elections are over, but far from done with. The usual complaints of long lines, missing names and unprepared polling precincts were mixed in with the common accusations of vote-buying, flying voters, even dead voters, cheating, campaigning, not to mention the violence and death that is all too Philippine politics. And this is just for the most basic branch of government, the barangay. According to the PNP, they have noticed an increase in the number of violent incidents for this year's barangay elections compared to that of 2010. Even the mid-term national elections were apparently far more peaceful than this one.

But the Comelec says otherwise, claiming that only small incidents happened last Monday, calling it generally peaceful. I for one see a lot of these incidents making the news, so I would be more inclined to believe the PNP, this time. Some areas are yet to hold elections, not surprisingly in the ARMM where violence during elections is the norm rather than the exception.

This is why many feel that there is a need to change the Omnibus Election Code, because of all the violations being committed with impunity during elections. It seems candidates will do anything to win a position, no matter how small. And they usually break the law in doing so. In this very protracted campaign period, several incidents of violence and gun ban violations have been reported. Even grenades were discovered by police being carried by supporters of candidates. Is the gun ban even effective at all? Where are these grenades being acquired if not from the AFP? Is this a lucrative business during barangay elections?

According to the Legal Network for Truthful Elections, the Comelec must be much stricter in enforcing election related laws, and punish and jail offenders. In other words, it needs more teeth, and teeth that can and will be used. Comelec also needs to get its act together. One example is the revelation that over four hundred candidates face disqualification for not even being registered voters. This is basic work for the Comelec. Like someone running for president who is not even a citizen. They definitely dropped the ball on this one. It also shows the impunity of those who have no respect whatsoever for the law. I could get into a whole discussion as to really benefits from a barangay election at the risk of being a bigot, but it is what it is.

The Comelec has yet to say how much of the nation's registered voters exercised their right to suffrage last Monday, but the numbers are not too good. There is still a good, if not a majority number of people who wouldn't care less about the barangay elections, simply because of the belief that elected officials only serve their own supporters, and do not attend to the needs of the whole barangay. They have good reason to believe that. It is no secret that most candidates come from the ranks of the very poor, and with a whole community of informal settlers supporting them, it is a foregone conclusion. Once elected, only the needs of the supporters matter. Everything else is secondary. Turf wars make matters even worse.

With all this being said, I really wonder if this whole system of the barangay even works at all, or is it just another bureaucratic position where corruption is possible. I guess only the candidates vying for the position know that all too well.