EDITORIAL - Prove it

Even before the polling centers closed, candidates were already complaining about being cheated. The howls became louder as the results of exit polls were released. It’s all over but the cheating, candidates groused.

In some cases, it probably is. The nation has a long history of poll fraud, from vote buying to padding of ballot boxes and other arcane methods of manipulating the vote. Even the communist New People’s Army and Islamic rebels undermine the people’s will through their extortion activities and intimidation of voters in favor of certain candidates.

This system can only change, however, if cases of cheating are properly documented and the perpetrators charged and punished. The system is not going to change by endless whining. It’s not going to change by threatening to summon people power against poll cheats, real or imagined.

This rotten system can only change by following the example of Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., who proved he was cheated through dagdag-bawas or vote-shaving and padding – a case that showed the nation how this particular type of fraud is perpetrated, and consequently how it can be prevented.

Some political camps are on the right track, announcing yesterday that instead of staging premature victory parties cum protest rallies that simply worsen the traffic mess, they will gather evidence of fraud and file appropriate charges at the right time and before the proper forum. Other camps, on the other hand, showed why their candidates do not deserve public office. In the post-election tinderbox, they are brandishing torches, threatening to burn down the entire nation if they don’t get the election results they want.

Every decent Filipino wants clean elections, and welcomes anyone who can prove that poll fraud has been perpetrated. Those who seek to lead the nation should help ferret out poll cheats. Until evidence has been found, however, those who seek to lead the nation are also duty-bound to promote calm and sobriety. Anyone can complain of being cheated, but every complaint must be backed by evidence. Anything else is sour-graping by sore losers.