EDITORIAL — The sorry state of politics

Political violence may be rearing its ugly head ahead of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.

Last Thursday afternoon in Balamban town, Councilman Anastacio Pacquiao of Barangay Cansomoroy was shot dead by two men riding in tandem. Pacquiao was running for barangay captain of Cansomoroy.

In Buenavista town, Bohol, Councilor Danilo Añora, a resident of Dait Norte, was also shot dead also by two men riding in tandem along the national highway in Barangay Cangaawa.

While police said it may yet be that personal grudge or other motives are behind the killings, they are inclined to believe they were political in nature owing to the approaching barangay and SK polls.

For lack of evidence we also cannot definitely conclude yet that it was politics behind those killings. But if indeed it was then this is another reflection of the sorry state of politics we have in this country.

There has yet to be an election in the Philippines where someone was not threatened, hurt, or even killed. Or one where votes weren’t bought or sold.

What drives the violence behind elections? There are many answers to that. However, it can all be boiled down to a fierce rivalry to claim or hold on to what some people, families, or groups view as their personal property and not to be handed over to anyone else.

Our brand of politics here isn’t usually the kind that looks to improve the state of any local government unit, more often than not it is to entrench a person, family, or political coalition usually for personal gain.

And because there is indeed much to gain, even from the poorest barangay, the rivalry between those running for public office becomes heated, and sometimes even violent. This is a sad reality that some of us have come to accept, not because we like it but because we have no other choice.

As idealistic as it may sound, those who want to go into public service should be reminded that they are there to serve the public and to improve the condition of others, not to enrich themselves, their group, or their clan.

As long as some barangays, cities, towns, and even entire provinces are being considered as personal properties or fiefs by some wealthy families, political coalitions, or a mix of both there will always be violence.