On this day (May 12), Lagunenses will once again troop to polling precincts to choose who will represent them in various national and local positions for the next three years.
It’s worth pointing out that Laguna province is considered one of the most “vote-rich” provinces in the Philippines.
With a total of 2,140,124 registered voters for this year’s polls, the province ranked 5th among the country’s 82 provinces in terms of voter population.
The recent campaign season has been, for the most part, generally peaceful – boring even – as midterm elections have always been.
Fierce, yet peaceful
Still, it should be noted that politics in Laguna province has always been stormy but peaceful, as past elections have proved.
Amid pockets of isolated incidents of killings and fierce rivalry, the local political scene in the province – both in the provincial and in the city and municipal level – Laguna has largely been free of the “election-related violence” that has had politicians and voters alike fearing for their lives every three years.
However, last May 8, an incident occurred that has had some political analysts raising their concerns on whether some powerful operators are now “stepping up” their provocative actions to cause discord among voters in one of the Philippines’ most vote-rich provinces.
Protest action
According to the Calamba City police, around 50 people from an organization calling itself “SOLid Lagunenses” staged a rally in front of the Laguna Provincial Capitol Extension Office (commonly known as the Hectan Building) at around 7:00 a.m. on May 8.
The group carried a large banner that read “Itigil ang Bentahan ng Boto sa Laguna,” an allusion to the alleged reports of vote-buying that had rocked Laguna province in the month leading to the election.
It should be noted that Comelec had pushed for the stricter implementation of vote-buying laws, particularly through setting up “Kontra-Bigay Committees” that will receive reports of alleged vote-buying activities.
‘Tear gas me’?
Then, at around 7:58 a.m., someone allegedly threw tear gas into the area, prompting the protesters to flee the scene.
A video making the rounds on social media, however, aroused the suspicion of netizens as to whether it was really tear gas that was released during the rally.
As the rallyists walked calmly away from the scene – a far cry from other protest rallies where people ran away in chaos when tear gas was used – some people around the area could be heard calling the rallyists names and expressing their belief that what had happened was a case of “tear gas me.”
Official reports
In a report published in its social media page later that day, the Calamba City police said that it was not tear gas that was hurled into the direction of the rallyists, but rather smoke grenades.
“At about 7:58 a.m. on the same date, before dispersing, the rallyists ignited improvised smoke grenades/bombs and fled in different directions along Halang, Calamba City, Laguna. As a result, the front area of the Laguna Provincial Capitol Extension was filled with smoke,” was how the Calabarzon Police Regional Office put it in its May 8 executive summary report that was disseminated to local media.
The situation was brought back to normal around two minutes later, according to authorities.
Security guards manning the Extension Office later recovered four pieces of smoke bombs, which were turned over to the Calamba City police for investigation.
“Nakipag-ugnayan na ang mga Investigators on Case (IOC) sa Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) ng Police Regional Office 4A para sa pagsusuri at pag-turn over ng mga narekober na smoke grenades. Kabilang sa mga hakbangin ang pagrepaso ng CCTV footage at pagkuha ng salaysay mula sa mga testigo at security guard na nakasaksi sa insidente,” the Calamba CPS added in its report.
What’s at stake
Political analysts in Laguna province now express their belief that authorities should look more closely behind the province’s reputation as a bulwark of peace and stability during the elections.
The latest protest rally, after all, came amid a series of disqualification cases filed against at least two gubernatorial candidates in the province, as well as other candidates.
“Hindi na malayong sabihin na mayroong mga vested interest na nais talagang maghasik ng kaguluhan dito sa ating lalawigan, given that isa tayo sa may pinakamaraming bilang ng mga botante dito,” one analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity told OpinYon Laguna.
Whether these so-called provocations will be a factor among Lagunense voters as they troop to the polls this Monday will be a matter of speculation.
As the old saying goes, Abangan ang susunod na kabanata!
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