A few weeks ago, I lamented in this column the culture of “hakutan” or the bringing in of audiences to political rallies to enhance the appearance of overwhelming support for a candidate.
The habit of bringing in large groups of supporters, while almost always effective in the national level, is also now the norm for local positions where battles are more heated, more intense, and in some unfortunate cases, more bloody.
By the way, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has placed at least one city in Laguna province under the "yellow category," due to a "history of election-related violence in the last two elections and intense political rivalry."
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In fact, OpinYon Laguna has heard stories about this one particular candidate for representative in this province who apparently decided to bring in supporters from other cities in Laguna and Cavite province to make it look like he had the support of majority of the city’s residents.
This, after surveys showed him performing far below his nearest rival, an incumbent official, who had won the hearts of many residents due to her advocacies centering on women and health.
Boxes of fast food were allegedly brought to the event (I know this for a fact as I spotted a tricycle carrying boxes of take-out food from a major fast-food chain along the National Highway the day the rally was held).
Wait, is food among the “articles of value” the Commission on Election has forbidden to be distributed during the local campaign?
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But wait! There’s more!
According to some sources who spoke to OpinYon Laguna, this candidate apparently forgot one crucial thing in the alleged distribution of money to his supporters after that rally.
Apparently, only those who were brought in from other towns to the event were reportedly given money after the rally.
This didn’t sit well with his supporters who are based in the city where he is running.
Perfectly understandable, in my opinion. Wouldn’t you want to make sure those you’re planning to spend your career as a public servant are happy?
Some of this candidate’s supporters were reportedly planning to jump the fence to his rival who’s now leading all the surveys — even OpinYon Laguna’s informal survey – and is reportedly now allied with the city’s ruling coalition.
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Does the Comelec have a rule regulating the noise generated by those driving around cities and playing campaign jingles of candidates — especially local ones?
Not only are many of the jingles tacky and ruin our favorite “LSS” songs, the vehicles playing them sometimes play them so loud, with accompanying boomboxes that I had associated with the “patok” jeepneys in Rizal and eastern Metro Manila.
The vibrations are sometimes so strong that they make buildings and houses shake as these vehicles pass by.
I really do hope campaign organizers would consider that not everybody in the neighborhood would like to be bamboozled by campaign jingles that, in my opinion, could as well serve as a massive turn off for voters.