This Monday’s barangay election is supposedly the exercise of the people’s right to vote. Be that as it may, the conduct of the election, especially the manner of carrying out the campaign, has left a bad taste in the mouth of right-thinking Dabawenyos.
“Ingon nila wala’y partisan-partisan pero klaro man kayo na gina promote pud na sa mga opisyal nato ang mga naga-dagan sa barangay kay mga tao man gihapon na nila (they said partisan election is not allowed, yet it is clear that elected officials have been helping some barangay candidates in their campaign since they are also their own people),” Jethro Sandoval, a resident of barangay Mintal said.
Article 6, Section 38 of the Omnibus Election Code provides that “the barangay election shall be non-partisan and shall be conducted in an expeditious and inexpensive manner.”
“This means no person who files a certificate of candidacy shall represent or allow himself to be represented as a candidate of any political party or any other organization,” Department of Interior and Local Government 11 legal officer Erwin Enad said.
Dabawenyos, however, see the non-partisan nature of the barangay election as a mere “show”, citing the many cases of barangay candidates whose hands were raised in public by certain political leaders.
“It’s still a matter of evidence. It is hard to prove that the elected official raised the hand of the barangay candidate in the former’s personal capacity or otherwise or for what purpose,” he said.
Enad said even if the candidate is already being supported by a political party, it is still difficult to prove it.
The Election Code likewise states that “no political party, political group… shall intervene in his nomination or in the filing of his certificate of candidacy… or give aid or support, directly or indirectly, material or otherwise favorable to or against his campaign for election”.
However, a large piece of tarpaulin displayed in Ecoland showing the name of a barangay candidate and that he was being supported by one of the major political groups in Davao City has remained ignored by authorities.
“Actually, matagal na nila alam yan na bawal ang partisan election sa barangay; the problem is how to draw the line between what is partisan and non-partisan,” DILG regional director Ananayas Villacorta said. [Lovely A. Carillo]
