Aftermath of the Congressional Elections in Ilocos Sur: Why Political Dynasty Exists and Persists?
(Post Election Analysis)
Introduction:
In a candidates’ forum, a candidate was asked about this question: “What is your stand on political dynasty? If you win the congressional elections, what will you do to eradicate political dynasty?” The candidate being a scion of the reigning political dynasty answered, “Is it my fault if the people like my family? My father who is a governor for a long time has done many good things for the people.” The answer is defensive and “off tangent”. Reality reveals that political dynasty in Ilocos Sur has not accomplished much to improved the life of most of the families in the province. Most families do not really favor political dynasty. The truth is, they are only pressured and forced to vote for political dynasty, due to the influence of “money” coupled with “intimidation and threat” from political power. In short, political dynasty is not borne out of freewill. It is imposed.
Besides, Anti-Political Dynasty Law is enshrined in the Philippine Constitution which is the fundamental law of the land. The essence of the law is to spare the nation from authoritarian rule which has gripped the people in recent decades. The spirit of the law is to develop and enable the political system to mature, to emerge new breed of leaders who will truly represent and advance the interests of the majority poor, not for the interests of the few ruling political elite. A Political Science dictum says, “Political dynasty is contrary to the fundamental elements of a democratic government. Political dynasty is equivalent to “authoritarianism”.
One radio announcer said, “What is wrong with political dynasty, even China has “Ming” and other dynasties.” A religious leader also argued, “There nothing wrong with political dynasty as long as they perform well”. These are short sighted comments and opinions. Political dynasty in China occurred before the advent of political civilization in Greece. Democracy originated from ancient Greece before it went to America where the Philippines patterned her democratic form of government. China has no democratic electoral process yet in those ancient times, and this gave rise to political dynasties. It is quite incorrect to compare ancient China with the Philippines with a democratic form of government. Political dynasty cannot be allowed simply because it is performing well. A structure of sin remains “sinful” unless it is transformed from its sinful system. The “being” of political dynasty is wrong from the very start. Therefore it can never be correct in any sense. As a matter of fact, 50 years of political dynasty has derailed political maturity in the democratic government in Ilocos Sur.
What are the dominant features of a political dynasty in Ilocos Sur?
Since the post war era, political dynasty in Ilocos Sur originated from few elite families in Vigan, the premier town of the province. Political elite families used to take turns in controlling the political reign. Violence was a main feature of power struggle at that time. He who has the guns and goons ruled. Political elitism in Vigan was the genesis of political dynasty which has now spread through out the entire province with the original political lord still “remote controlling” the power lineage, from the provincial down to the barangay level. Based on the 2010 election results, more than 85% of the municipalities in Ilocos Sur are under political dynasties, ruled by one political family even beyond the term limit prescribed by law. Political dynasty reveals its “shameless face” with husband and wife, father and daughter, mother and son occupying top posts of the town. If the term expires, the one at the top will slide down to lower position to give way to another family member. If another term expires, another member of the same family will take over the reign. Political positions have become a family owned and controlled business, transferred onto family members on a silver platter. The only minimum qualification one must have is that, “you should belong to a political bloodline’’ or “you must be an ally or loyal to the political lord”.
Another ugly feature of political dynasty in Ilocos Sur is unopposed candidacy. Potential or possible opposition are either bribed with millions of pesos, or offered with political positions, to back out from the election contest. Worst is, political oppositions are threatened or eliminated by violent death. Most if not all the municipal mayors, barangay officials, tanod, SK and civic organizations are all gripped, controlled and subservient to the political lord. They perceive that they owe their political survival to the political lord. If ever they intend to oppose their political master, they will be “kicked out” from the power lineage and it will be the end of their political career. Or they will be threatened with “no projects and no funds”. This is the dirty tactic of the political lord to manipulate and dictate everyone in the power line up. Thus, allegiance is no longer on the people, but to the political kingpin. Elective position is no longer at the service of the people, but for political survival and for greed of power.
2. What are the factors or pressures that allow the existence and persistence of political dynasty?
The very of root of political dynasty is “money”. Political power stands on “money”. For political dynasty to stay on, it must buy votes, it should buy principles, it could also buy morality, it buys freedom, and it buys the law. Politics of money buy elected barangay officials for forced support and loyalty, it bribes mass media to distort the truth, it donates to institutional religion to project a “saintly image”, thus religion is gagged and it can not speak about the truth. Money is the root of all the evils of political dynasty as social sin. Government agencies are gripped and controlled by political dynasty. This explains why election laws are not fully implemented; it only favors the political dynasty. There are so many violations of election laws during election time, such as massive vote buying, improper posting of campaign materials, partisan politics of barangay officials, etc. but government agencies concerned remained deaf, mute and blind. Another factor why political dynasty lingers on is that, local mass media is controlled and gripped by those in political reign. Local mass media is commercialized. It reinvents stories to build up the image of those who can give the “highest bidder”. Freedom of the press is muffled by money. Truth is distorted. Partisan politics and vote selling by barangay officials, tanod, SK and civic organizations also contribute to the existence and persistence of political dynasty. Although it is clearly prohibited by law, partisan politics and vote selling of barangay officials, tanod, SK and civic organizations have become so organized, rampant, massive and “shameless”. They use “code” to monitor and ensure that vote buying will result favorably for the interest of political dynasty. Institutional religion is also a factor that allows political dynasty to flourish. Religious leaders are complacent and cannot perform independently their prophetic mission to denounce the evils of political dynasty. Donations and other luxurious favors received from political dynasty have the institutional religion beholden to the political power, thus the radical Gospel is compromised. The convenient escape is “neutrality”. This is tantamount to approving the evils of political dynasty. Low political consciousness of families is also contributory to the existence and persistence of political dynasty as an oppressive social system. The culture of “authority centeredness” pressures families to succumb to the dictates of elected officials in their locality. The threat of being persecuted or isolated adds to the pressure. That is why families, despite their long standing clamor for political change, are subverted by the pressure of money and authority. Political dynasty has eroded the value systems that families are not able to see what is right and what is wrong. This is the evil of political dynasty. It snatched away the capacity to discern and the freedom to act conscientiously.
3. What is the mathematics and system of vote buying that ensures winning an election contest?
Vote buying by political dynasty has become organized that focuses on bribing elected officials to ensure the “authority factor” to implement vote buying. Vote buying comes in “disguise” as “balato or pasalubong”. But this is very clear from its timing and motive, that it is vote buying in all its intents and purposes. The mathematics of organized vote buying will ensure the bigger percentage to win the election contest. That is why municipal mayors are given cash to pressure loyalty and support. Town mayors, who cling to the political master for survival, will now order barangay officials, tanod, SK and civic organizations to follow the power line up. Fearful of being kicked out of the power hold, elected officials had no other recourse but to “bite the bullet”. To ensure bigger percentage of votes, 10 barangay officials, 20 tanod, SK chairmen, 50 members of RIC, 50 poll watchers, 10 appointed barangay workers, are each given money. That’s about 150 voters being bought. This number is multiplied by 3, because of household family members, that sums up to 300-350 voters already being bought. For every barangay, this number is equivalent to 70%-80% of the total number of voters in the barangay. The political dynasty which has the capacity to buy votes is now assured of winning the elections. To monitor that vote buying is effective, barangay officials use their local authority to pressure the voters. “Code” is used to make sure that those who received cash will not falter in voting for the political candidate who distributed the “money”. Election officials and government agencies are allegedly bribed to make it appear that there is no ‘’vote buying and partisan politics” taking place. Thus, vote buying is organized and massive. This is a system that permits political dynasty. It is not correct to say that political dynasty is favored by the people. It is not.
4. What makes vote buying the most effective strategy of winning an election?
Vote buying thrives as effective strategy of winning an election contest due to the following reasons:
a) Political dynasty channels its vote buying through the elected official in the base so that the element of “authority” is there to pressure and monitor the voters. A name of a candidate written on a strip of paper is used as a “code”.
b) Political dynasty dictates government agencies concerned so that election and other related laws are not implemented to impede the system of vote buying.
c) Local mass media is bribed to keep mum on the system of vote buying during election period. In Ilocos Sur, you do not hear anything about massive vote buying being discussed and/or condemned in local radio and TV stations. What was broadcast instead is that, “elections are credible and peaceful”. No local radio or TV station will dare to expose the truth about vote buying.
d) Culture of families is distorted that it can no longer differentiate what is wrong and what is correct. The independence of the mind is tampered by pressure of money and authority. That’s why they still vote a candidate known to be allied with drugs, jueteng, corruption and unsolved crimes.
5. What are the adverse effects of vote buying as main strategy of political dynasty?
Vote buying ruins the value systems of people. It destroys culture. Freedom is sabotaged by vote buying. It makes elected officials hostage of the political lord. It is enslaving. It rapes human dignity. Vote buying impedes development and maturity of the political system. Fundamental to a maturing political system is the “dynamics of change” in the person and character of political leadership. Vote buying stagnates and deteriorates the political system, to the detriment of the majority and to the betterment of those in power. Vote buying impedes integral development. Basic social services and government projects are not implemented. They are rather used as tools to manipulate people and pressure political loyalty and support. Vote buying breeds corruption in large scale as a “return of investment” on the election expenses. Vote buying breach the integrity, credibility and authenticity of the electoral process. It dilutes the sanctity of the right of suffrage. It translates suffrage into a commodity that can be bought in market. Vote buying hinders the true will of the people. It discourages a healthy opposition which is a basic requirement of elections. If vote buying is unabated, people will totally lose their trust in the electoral system. This will pave the way to "authoritarianism". Vote buying put governance in a weak and shaky foundation. It does not reflect trust and respect from the people. The mind of the people will be conditioned that political position is acquired by means of money, not performance, not integrity, not capability.
6. What are the mission challenges that must be embraced in order that political dynasty must be stamped out?
The mission challenges will now reside on the poor. It can not be on the elected officials and civic organizations because they are all at the power lineage, and they are gripped and controlled by the political dynasty. Local mass media is not a reliable bastion of truth. Institutional religion with weakling leadership is not a dependable refuge. It is the only the poor, the ones who defied the pressure of political dynasty, the ones who upheld the ideals of democracy. They are the seedbed of hope to carry on the challenges of these difficult and trying times. There are three essentials challenges that must be embraced and continued by the families in the base communities:
a) Continue denouncing political dynasty as the social evil that threatens life. Continue with firm resolution to facilitate people to gradually shift their consciousness and paradigm. This is the key to eventual transformation and liberation.
b) Continue living as family with critical and independent mind. This will facilitate dissociation from the shackles of political dynasty. Living simply within the means is the key to eroding the foundations of political dynasty by extricating one's self from the grip of those in political power. Political dynasty is a system of sin; therefore it must be avoided like a dreaded cancer.
c) Denouncing and dissociating from political dynasty cannot be complete without families pursuing economic responses to achieve a secured life, free from dole out and control of enslaving political dynasty. Families in the communities must act collectively to implement the following: sustainable and communal potable water system, food security for each family in the communities, organic farming and sustainable agriculture, community based health and herbal preventive medicine, youth formation for restoration of liberating culture, and animating leadership for collective mobilization.
To summarize the challenges: Denounce the evil of political dynasty (political challenge). Dissociate from the lures and grip of political dynasty (cultural challenge). Do economic responses for a secured life in the base communities (economic challenge). These are the dynamics of liberation. This is the Kingdom of God.
Conclusion:
The result of the recent special elections for congressman in the first district of Ilocos Sur does not reflect the authentic will of the people, because it is tampered with vote buying, partisan politics and violation of election Laws. In short, the political dynasty is imposed on the people through fraudulent means. The margin of winning does not guarantee an overwhelming support, because the element of “money” puts a question to the credibility and integrity of the elections. The lesser number of the election results represents a kind of consciousness that can never be bought by money. The bigger number in the election results will show the volume of money that was distributed. The number of around 40-50 thousand who did not vote indicate their lost of interest on the electoral process which is usually marred by "money”. Without vote buying and partisan politics, the result of the elections could have been totally different.
Political dynasty is a social sin that is a blatant threat to human dignity and life. By the systems it employs, it tampers freedom and subverts the truth. These are the basic elements of social justice. But political dynasty suppresses all these, by the use of “money” and “authority”. And this it does without a hint of remorse and conversion.
Political dynasty is likened to a thief who comes to destroy, to steal and to kill. Political dynasty destroys culture, destroys laws. It destroys the youth by drugs. Political dynasty steals people’s money through jueteng and corruption. Political dynasty threatens anyone who opposes, and kills anyone who dares to challenge his/her reign. That is political dynasty as evil. Its vulnerable victims are the poor and the defenseless.
To be neutral with political dynasty is tantamount to consenting its evil ways and systems. It is equivalent to conniving to oppress the poor. To denounce the evils of political dynasty is “imperative”. To dissociate from it is freedom from slavery, and to do economic responses for a secured life, is the mission of the Kingdom. The hope of the Kingdom Mission is the liberating consciousness of those who upheld the ideals of democracy. There is where the God of Justice is. This shall be the antidote of political dynasty.
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Note: Style is massively edited.
Source:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000917577111
