Tale of 2 Comelec commissioners

Ramon Felipe, before he was appointed to the Commission on Elections, ran for mayor of Naga City in the 1980 elections, but he was cheated and lost. I am aware of the cheating because I joined a group of flying voters who traveled from Quezon City in two busloads upon the invitation of a friend (my sincere apology to the people of Naga City). According to him, it was commissioned by his fraternity brod from Bicol. I joined the group simply out of curiosity as I had lost interest in the electoral process, especially because the elections included the presidential contest between former President Ferdinand Marcos and Alejo Santos, which I considered a “moro-moro.”

Grace Padaca lost her reelection bid for governor of Isabela in 2010, allegedly due to the malicious cases filed against her. Recently, she was appointed Comelec commissioner. She could make up for her loss in the 2010 elections, and even turn it into a victory for her, by seeing to it that cheating in elections—like the “dagdag-bawas” scheme that victimized Sen. Nene Pimentel in 1995 and Sen. Koko Pimentel in 2007—will not happen ever again. Worth watching by Commissioner Padaca in the forthcoming 2013 elections are the candidacies of lawyer Leni Robredo, and Senators Antonio Trillanes and Koko Pimentel. They might become victims of electoral fraud. By whom? I don’t know.

It is interesting to note that both Comelec commissioners were appointed by an Aquino—Felipe by President Cory and Padaca by P-Noy. Also, Felipe and Padaca lost during the term of former Presidents Marcos and Gloria Arroyo, respectively, both of whom are considered political archrivals of the Aquinos.

—CARLOS P. JERVOSO.

B10 L18 Soldiers Hills III,

Caloocan City 1427