Why are they…?

Why are they making a list of residents who intend to vote for a particular candidate? Should not my vote and subsequently, the candidate I intend to vote for be secret? Is that not the reason voting is done in booths that cover the voter’s vote? Is it not that the reason that there are strict regulations on election officers not seeing the names that a voter voted for? That’s also why there are rules against taking a picture of a filled out ballot. The vote is supposed to be secret.

However, does not open support and campaign of a candidate a violation of that secrecy? There are quite a number of people who openly express alignment with, and ally themselves with a candidate or a lineup of candidates. Some people even openly endorse favored candidates. So, we already know whom they will vote for. They might as well brandish their ballots for all to see on election day.

What if a person doesn’t intend to vote for this candidate, and a prominent neighbor lists the residents who would vote for that candidate? Does he/she say yes just so he/she doesn’t get badgered? Does he/she say, no and risk the insistent pressure or cold shoulder of neighbors who go for that candidate? What happened to secrecy? If we all would do this, then, we might all as well vote by public declaration.

What’s the list for? Is not that unethical? Maybe, next time, we should make that illegal. But then again, the listing leaders would resort to hopping houses to make their lists late at night. That’s Filipino culture. We would circumvent rules. People would find a way to do what they want to do in one or another form despite restrictions.

Why are they expecting and fighting for this so-called interim release of an arrested suspect? Is not that the way it goes? Is not every arrested suspect treated in that way until he/she gets acquitted? Did not former Senator Leila de Lima stay incarcerated for five long years until she got acquitted? Did not Vhong Navarro stay in jail until his case was dismissed? They were not given interim release, weren’t they? The same thing happens to every citizen who gets suspected and arrested. That’s the way it goes. No one cries foul. The suspect serves time.

So, why are they complaining as if this sort of thing has been the first time to happen to an arrested suspect? Why are they hurting as if the whole system has excluded the former President to experience such fate? Why do they insinuate that the former President is being unjustly incarcerated? Why do they give the idea that an arrested suspect should go home while waiting for the trial? Why do they imply that going home after being arrested and reporting back for the trial is the normal thing to go about?

Why are they talking about making the former President return? Is the Philippine Supreme Court in any place to compel the International Criminal Court to release any of its detained suspects? Is the Philippine President in any position to make any serious request to release a detained suspect? Would the ICC subscribe to the ruling of any government of a nation? Does the supreme Court or the Office of the President have any authority over ICC? What do they expect? Do the judges receive some sort of letter from the Philippine Supreme Court that tells them to release the former President, then they don’t have any choice but to comply? Does a regional court judge subscribe to a resolution of some home owners association of a village or subdivision? That letter would just be stamped “received” and filed and respectfully ignored. With all due respect, where are they basing these ideas?

Why are they talking about the legality or lawfulness of the arrest of the former President? Yes, maybe, there were some technical protocols that should have been followed. But if the arrest were illegal, ICC would have not received him in The Hague. If it were in any way improper, ICC would have denied any accountability with the arrested suspect. He would have been repatriated immediately. He would not have even made it past through immigration officers. The arrested former President and the arresting officer would have been blocked at the airport because the arrest was all wrong. The Dutch government would have contacted the Philippine government asking clarification on the matter and quickly arranged the return of the company of the illegal arrestee. But nothing of that sort happened; implying of the whole matter’s propriety and legality. That also answers to notions of so-called kidnapping.

“Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority,…” Hebrews 13:17