Who says today is start of campaign period?
It is an absolute nonsense and a total naivete to buy that silly line that the campaign period only started today. The period of campaigning for the May 9 national and local elections has long commenced on day one of this administration. And perhaps, wittingly or unwittingly, no less than the President of the Philippines has started the campaign when he delivered his inaugural speech and coined such political mantra as "Daang Matuwid" and "walang wang-wang." The President always does a clear act of campaigning every time he delivered his SONA. For six times from 2010 to 2016, he never failed to attack his enemies and praised his own government. And by its definition, those were acts of campaigning.
The campaign has started some years ago, when Vice President Jejomar Binay declared his candidacy for the presidency. He was trying to ride on two horses, by being a part of the Aquino government, given the powers and the funding to handle two cabinet portfolios on housing and labor migration. And at the same time, surreptitiously undermining the hands that fed him, by attacking the administration of which he was very much a part of. At first, Binay did it with creative secrecy, but later, when it became clear that he would not get the presidential blessing, he attacked the administration with passionate ferocity.
The campaign started when Senator Grace Poe made it categorical that he would not support Mar Roxas and that she would be a candidate herself. She had various ads saying that she was ready to give the country a government with a heart. The campaign started when Duterte joined the fray, and then Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Ambassador Roy Seneres. Secretary Mar Roxas was always the anointed one. He earned it when Mar gave way to PNoy immediately after the demise of President Cory Aquino. The campaign started in the wake of the late lady president.
There is one senatorial candidate who seems to claim that he has a registered trademark or official patent of the word Malasakit. He is implying that he has a monopoly of it. This scion of a powerful political family has had giant political billboard along the south Luzon expressway, and the word "malasakit" is being his mantra or political slogan. Another senatorial candidate was not included in the Liberal Party slate due to his big mistake of allegedly inviting sexy dancers in a Laguna congressman's birthday. This guy has been on TV for various reasons or unreason. Another former cabinet member is making political capital about cost of electricity. Some say that "para tayong pina ikot ikot."
The campaign period started even during the Sinulog when a presidential bet was said to have just appeared on stage and was allegedly booed. Yes, campaigning began when allies of opposing parties were suspended by the administration for the flimsiest reasons or for no reason at all. They just happened to be in the opposition. The suspensions were forms of reverse campaigning. They gave aid and comfort to administration candidates. And to us, those too were acts of campaigning. And so, what nonsense is to try telling us that the campaign period just starts today.
The Filipino voters may be a bit silly or foolish at times. But they are not stupid. They know the real score. These Comelec rules on illegal campaigning are more honored in breach than in compliance. Every one violates the law. The exceptions are becoming the rules. And nobody is calling foul. Nobody is blowing the whistle. There is a conspiracy of indifference. And the people are just making a fool of it all. In this country, most people do not mind breaking the rules, they just take care not to be caught. And when caught, they could always bribe their way or make alibi by pretending to be fools. Nobody gets caught. That is why there is more fun in the Philippines. Shame, shame, shame.
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