EDITORIAL - Eliminating the competition

In this country, political power and its perks are such that people are willing to kill, or risk being killed, over political rivalries. In certain areas, politics has become the main family business, so the rivalries are complicated by clan feuds. And murder has become the favored tool for eliminating rivals, especially with the approach of elections.

The latest attack was staged in Zamboanga City last Monday, where four men on motorcycles shot dead mayor Darusallam Lajid of Al-Barka town and Barad Nuruddin, driver of Akbar town Mayor Alih Sali who was wounded in the ambush. The two mayors had just arrived in the city from their home province of Basilan in a boat when they were attacked. Their relatives suspect that the ambush was politically motivated.

No position, it seems, is too minor to make murder not worth the risk; even candidates for barangay posts have been killed. In previous elections, candidates in places with only about 5,000 registered voters have been assassinated.

In every election season, the government launches crackdowns on loose firearms, withdraws or reshuffles police personnel assigned as bodyguards of politicians, and increases police presence in hotspots or areas prone to poll-related violence.

The most important component in preventing impunity, however, is the weakest link in the effort to stop election violence: justice for victims. As long as politicians see that murders remain unsolved, the assassinations will continue.

This year, even before the official start of the campaign period for 2022, and despite the pandemic restrictions, political violence continues. On June 12, councilor Susan Gayonan of Talakag town in Bukidnon was fatally shot in the head while her niece and nephew were wounded. On Sept. 27, councilor Ernesto Bihag Jr. of Liloy town in Zamboanga del Norte was killed in a drive-by shooting.

Even barangay councilors are not spared; Nicky Cruz of Pasig was shot dead on Oct. 16 by men on a motorcycle. In Bicol last month, Donsol councilor and candidate for vice mayor Helen Garay and two aspirants for councilor were found dead in Daraga at the rented apartment of Peter Joemel Advincula, who has been indicted for the killings.

Last Monday in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, councilor Apolonio Medrano was shot dead by men on a motorcycle shortly after he attended the flag ceremony at the town hall. Police said at least 25 gun attacks have been recorded in the province this year.

And the campaign period hasn’t even started yet. Authorities will have to do more against this worst way of undermining the democratic vote.