Mindanao Times

The grim PCL elections

- DANILO DAYANGHIRA­NG

IN THE past weeks, we were caught in a hectic schedule brought about by the preparatio­n of Philippine Councilors League Election where

I ran for National Chairman on a second term.

Beyond our control, the election did not push through primarily due to a computer glitch which questioned the integrity of the voting procedure.

Had the election materializ­ed, we could have confidentl­y brought home the victory, as surveys conducted gained an increasing grip dominating not only Mindanao and Visayas but also Luzon.

Was the 11th PCL National Congress successful then? The rest of the programme went perfectly well as planned except the matter of election. Was it planned all along? Only those with criminal minds can guess!

Even before the event started, I had a volume of doubt when the other camp’s unauthoriz­ed tinkering of the program took place without the knowledge of the DILGCOMELE­C and the PCL National board few hours before the election commenced.

The whole voting precinct was no longer exclusive to councilors, the very first time in PCL history that outsiders gate-crashed, came in roughly with unruly manner, marking a mob rule! Security was compromise­d.

How did this happen? Sadly, the politics of money was alive again so much as it penetrated the bloodstrea­m of our councilors at the expense of the objectivit­y of choosing the right candidates. The old tactic used by the olden king makers.

Is this a prelude of what will happen in the coming 2022 National Elections? Honestly, politician­s have long term visions and ambitions and I know all of us can just speculate.

At the end of the day, what matters the most is how we choose the right leaders who put our nation above all, upholding the free will to vote and not be governed by any external factors and commitment­s that would just end up with regret.

How do all these interferen­ces derail a nationwide connectivi­ty that existed so many years now? When one is desperate but has a lot of money, he can easily build an empire and create walls of divisivene­ss amongst these honorable legislator­s.

Let us go back to understand­ing the Duterte effect... to whom my arms were raised and to whom his hopes rest... until my final breath I shall be the worthy person PRRD knew.

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