The Great Switch

This may appear to be too good to be true. Or too perfect a crime to happen on the Philippines wherein most of the heist shown on our movies and teleseryes are too far from the standard of Hollywood syndicates. This is not anItalian Job nor an Ocean’s 11.

This incident happened on the Philippines.

In an expose today on the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Police Senior Supt. Rafael Santiago and his “boys” have come forward to reveal that they stole original election Returns (ERs) then kept at the Batasang Pambansa building (where the canvassing of votes happened) and replaced it with fake ones to make sure that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would still emerge the winner of 2004 elections in case of a recount.

Santiago told the Inquirer and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima that he acted on the orders of then PNP Director General Hermogenes Ebdane, now a Governor of the province of Zambales, and a close ally of then-president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Santiago said that the election returns were mostly from Mindanao where the election results are disputed.

After reading the whole article, I proceed to the comment box and read the reactions of some of the readers. Some are critical. Others are stupid. Most of them believe that this is a fact. While others argued that exposing this on the media will lead to a sensationalized item and that this expose must be verified first before releasing it on print.

Why not expose this on court and why choose the media instead? In today’s Philippine setting where justice is slow, people opt to expose things on the media for an instant exposure and attention of the people. Let us admit it. The mass media is a powerful tool. Though sometimes, this powerful tool leads to a mass destruction, division, and sensationalism.

Is Gloria Arroyo guilty of this crime? Is she behind this heist to save her neck and keep her on power? Will this add up to the numerous cases filed against her? As much as I trust the mass media on delivering information to the people, I will not instantly believe this expose unless it is proven on court. I will let the court decide whether this is a fact or just another made-up story to divert the attention of the people.

And speaking of the Moled One, she is set to be operated on her cervical spine tomorrow at 7:00AM. this is a dangerous operation but the Doctors from St. Luke’s told the mediamen that there were no mortality on this operation since 1996. Let’s just hope that Gloria Arroyo will not be the first one.

I pray for her safety tomorrowand speedy recovery. Would you?

I hope for truth and justice to be finally out. I wish for history to be corrected.And I pray that those who are gulity be persecuted and incarcerated.

Viva Filipinas! Padayon!

Read more: We switched ERs for Gloria Arroyo