The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) placed Butuan City, two other cities and 45 towns under the election watch list areas for the May 14, 2007 elections. Caraga Police Regional Director Antonio Dator Nañas made this announcement. Butuan City is closely monitored by law enforcement agencies for any outbreak of violence as the elections draw near. But for a simple minded Butuanon this simply means that any election related violence are expected to happen.
Making an announcement of the State of Butuan is the easiest part. Reporting what really happened from the ground so that the public will know, is the hardest part. PNP only reports when there is killing or kidnapping. In fact, according to the PNP there were only TWO reported election related incident that happened.
The public knows that there are a number. One not well reported incident was what happened in barangay Buhangin. During one of the sorties a local resident was mauled allegedly by the candidate’s bodyguards when the poor villager complained about their road condition. What happened was left in oblivion as if nothing happened. “No one made a complain and filed a report to the police station”, said my neighbor Eking. “No hurt, no foul”, he laughingly added. But Marcia, his wife retorted: Kung ang nagsapak nimo anak sa pinakadaku nga politiko, moreklamo ka pa kaha? Basin ang sunod nimong madawat dili na laparo kung dili bala na!
Butuan when will you change?
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