Reading the signs

It has become a standard operating procedure for many to note seemingly insignificant body language and interpret them. And that was exactly what many mediamen and political observers did in the Mass celebrated by His Eminence, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, at the Manila Cathedral.

Immediately, most pointed out that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had snubbed former President Fidel V. Ramos when she failed or did not hold his hands at the Our Father. But that should not be interpreted that way. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines recently had come out against the holding of hands when praying the Lord's prayer.

And, although the practice is tolerated, I suppose GMA, being a Catholic, must have shunned the idea of forcing a Protestant to do the same. Even assuming that she adheres to the Filipino practice of holding hands.

The second was the failure of the President to kiss FVR during the Kiss of Peace. Now, there are some people who are averse to that practice. Jewish actually. Many of my colleagues do it, but there are a lot of the faithful who are not in favor or it. I have myself been waved away several time by people who don't feel nice about being kissed by other than family members.

But then, it is always better to be able to speculate on the meaning of these subtle body languages. Actually glaring. But interpreting it the way we do is a disservice to both the President and FVR.

***

Yesterday, the Senate committee headed by Senator Rodolfo Biazon came out with the testimonies of several consultants and experts pointing out that the results of the last presidential polls were tampered with in such a blatant fashion that GMA came up with a 1.25 million vote margin over then presidential bet Fernando Poe Jr.

But Biazon warned that the Senate inquiry aimed to ferret out evidence of widespread cheating, not determine who won the elections. That, he emphasized, was the subject of the Presidential Election Tribunal.

Heminigildo Estrella, a management consultant, came out with a masterful presentation and study that showed, at one instance, that the 16 towns of Maguindanao in Mindanao turned in election returns despite the failure of elections in these municipalities. All in all, only 15 towns held balloting. And the results of the election returns from the 16 towns exceeded those of the 15 towns.

Comelec Commissioner Resurreccion Borra, however, said in these towns, special elections were held later on instruction of the Comelec board.

There were many more similar incidents of the election returns from barangays and towns changed in the provincial canvass which were submitted later to Congress for the proclamation.

At any rate, that may have been an exercise in futility. The PET has already discarded the election protest filed by the late FPJ. Still, what were presented yesterday sort of deepens the public perception that something was really wrong with GMA's victory.

Except for us, who had experiences with election returns from Mindanao provinces, especially those of the Lanao provinces. There was one time, I protested the results of one town where Marcos got zero. So with running-mate Fernando Lopez. And down the line to all the senatorial candidates of the Nacionalista Party. The official whom I accosted, told me he was inside the office of the town treasurer. Later he emerged and showed me "the true and corrected copy of the election results." It showed it was former President Diosdado Macapagal who got zero; and his running mate Senator Gerardo Roxas received the same. The precious count of 1,750 votes were adjusted to show that they were all for Marcos, Lopez and down the line.

In short, they just transposed the order of the results. But then, way back in 1965, they were less conscious of making it look credible.

And, yes, these were provinces where the birds and bees reportedly also voted. At least, insofar as I learned later, even the dead voters still had their names included in the registered voters list.

But what really caught my interest was how a public schoolteacher who was a poll clerk narrated to me the inclusion of non-registered voters in those who voted. It seems that a group of armed men approach the precinct because they also wanted to vote. Informed that their names were not included in the registry of voters, the armed men curtly told the poll clerk - "Bakit hindi kami boboto? Pilipino rin kami (Why can't we vote? We are also Filipinos)".

Since there were no cops around, what do you think the poll clerk did? Simple. She just gave them the voting slip.

That's how sometimes elections are staged in some areas in Mindanao. So, nothing new in what the Senate unearthed.*

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