Who will show them
how in Mindanao?

The accounts given by representatives of volunteer groups monitoring the elections in Mindanao were shocking, but, most Filipinos will admit, not really surprising. Since time immemorial, meaning (to me, at least), as far as I can remember, mysteries have always shrouded the results of voting in many places in that region. That is where stories about dead people voting and pre-filled ballots originated, you know.

***

While some of the most revolting stories were reported from the Maguindanao area a lot of equally appalling accounts also came from Lanao, especially Lanao del Sur. As recounted by a Lente lawyer on TV yesterday, the cheaters were not even abashed by her presence, they just went on with what they were doing - writing names on blank ballots that already had thumbmarks on them - uncaring of her presence. Earlier, another person, suspected to be a teacher, had a similar story, but she noted that the thumbmarks on the ballots were those of young children who were called from their play, and made to imprint their thumbmarks on the sacred document. To the kids, that must have been a new kind of game.

***

As for Lanao, it is true, as the witness narrated it, that the cheating seemed to be an accepted practice to the people there. That must be because they have seen it done in every election. I was still in school then, but I remember how we kids memorized and sang whenever we could, the campaign ditty of the late President Ramon Magsaysay, said to have been composed by later Senator Raul Manglapus. Part of it went: "Birds they voted in Lanao / And pati aswang pa daw / Ang election lutong macao / Till Magsaysay showed them how!"

***

Alas, we no longer have a Ramon Magsaysay to "show them how". The Magsaysay who ran for senator this time, even if he was with the administration ticket, did not register at all. I wish we could have changed the lyrics to "Till the NAMFREL (or PPCRV) showed them how!" but I guess the time has not yet come. Will computerized voting do the trick? I'm a skeptic, so I'd say, maybe for the first or second try, but, knowing the Pinoy ingenuity, the resourceful cheaters will not take long to find a way.

***

But this Pinoy ingenuity does not always manifest itself in wrongful ways. The Filipino is capable of using this gift in a way that will benefit, not only our country, but even the whole world. I don't like to blow the family horn, but we have a member who recently brought us great pride by getting honored with the international award called the Timothy Fidel Award for being the World's Best Computer Investigator, whose work resulted in toppling an international hacking syndicate and averted losses estimated at $250 million to the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries in Europe. His tinkering with the internet also led to the crackdown on child pornography in the Asia-Pacific Region.

***

Alexander Ramos was presented the award in Las Vegas recently and returned to the Philippines on Monday where he found himself a celebrity among his former peers. He used to be the city editor of the Philippine Star, you see. And he is a Bacoleño and Negrense, being the son of Ret. Col. Orlando Ramos, formerly of the NICA, and an alumnus of the Negros Occidental High School, while his mother is the former Rizalina Lagtapon Kapawan of Hinigaran. Alex, who occasionally writes for the DAILY STAR, is married to Pinky Rio, daughter of Baldomero "Jun" Rio of Bacolod, and the former Teresita Lagtapon, also of Hinigaran.

***

It didn't register at first, but didn't former president Cory Aquino endorse her own brother and his son-in-law before the elections? Surveys had shown that 30 percent of the people believe Cory's endorsement, like Erap's and Susan's would be more effective than anybody else's. And it seems to be true, the Grand Opposition People they singled out are doing very well in the counting. On the other hand, Cory's brother Peping, who is also a noted Sports personality, lost his bid for a congress seat in his district. Peping's son-in-law, Robert "Dudut" Jaworski Jr., husband of the noted equestrienne, Mikee, also lost to his tocayo, Robert Eusebio for the mayorship in Pasig. Maybe they took Cory's endorsement for granted?*

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