Bull's Hit

Election Telenovela
by Rudy Garcia

It was a hot day, April 18, just 26 days before the election. I checked in with my son a 14-year- old, at a popular hotel in the city of Baguio courtesy of a gift package from a popular, rich politician from the north who is now running as a candidate for senator this coming May 14 election. With my body tired and exhausted, I lay flat on the bed and got my afternoon nap.
When I woke up, I noticed that my son was not around so I went out from our room and started looking for him in every corridor. I could not find him so I tried to knock and peep on every room.

In one of the rooms I entered, I saw several men with high-powered firearms as if going to battle. I was fortunate as some of them were my friends so I did not worry or feel nervous. I knew that this group was a brotherhood organization composed mostly of active and retired military men.

Well, they were now preparing to stage an attack, a “coup de etat” against the administration before the election. They were reportedly being financed and handled by two senatorial candidates this coming May election. Both were known to be military officers, handsome, and intelligent. The old one was a popular EDSA personality during the EDSA I People’s Power Revolution and the young one was a popular personality in a failed military mutiny in a hotel.

Fearing I might get involved, I ran fast out from that room. At the hotel lobby, I met a Baguio City candidate for a high position in the city. I continued to look for my son and at the hotel main entrance when I saw the young and handsome candidate and the young and pretty candidate for councilor in the city holding hands seemingly too much in love with each other.

I was shocked because the two are happily married to their respective husband and wife and even have kids, meaning their relationship is forbidden, or in tagalong bawal na pag-ibig. But who cares, we have a saying hahamakin ng lahat, mahalin ka lamang. Is this another reason why these two lovebirds parted political parties, to cover-up and let the public believe it’s just trabaho lang at walang personalan?

Getting tired, I went inside a coffee shop at the hotel lobby and while drinking my favorite cup of coffee, a saw this young highlander mayoralty favorite go inside the CR followed by a man I recall is an operator of a mini carnival temporarily operating at a playground in one of the public school in this city. When both of them went out from the CR, I noted they were both smiling fully to the ears, Mr. Candidate carrying an envelope and carnival operator reading a sheet of paper which seemed to be his special permit.

I tried to locate my son at the hotel parking area. Suddenly, an expensive latest model of a Mercedez Benz car stopped in front of the beggars. Its owner, another candidate gathered all the beggars to a nearby basketball court built by a Japanese woman engineer and fed them with lechon, fried chicken and even gave them money for their fare, but made them sign their names with their thumb marks on a sheet of paper with this big man of a body guard making everybody will obey all what Mr. Candidate will order them to do. This big man who should be serving his constituents being the Punong Barangay is now busy serving his boss.

Feeling hungry, I tried to eat the food leftovers but Mr. Candidate gave me the whole head of the lechon minus the brain, and of course also handed me dollars, yen and euro money.
I was about to ask more from Mr. Candidate but I heard my son screaming for help on the other side of the road wherein I saw several youngsters who looked like members of fraternities who lounge around a popular Square running after my son.

Seeing these youngsters armed with guns, knives, wooden clubs and stones, I was stunned and couldn’t move any longer to help my son. Call it luck, but a good-looking mestizo who is another electoral aspirant in the city came to the rescue and scared to death all these sanamagans. Surely, nobody can beat this candidate when peace and order is concerned, I hope he wins come May 14. Para matigil na ang pamamayagpag ng mga nagsisigasigahan dito sa lungsod ng Baguio. Durugin mo sila.

Going back to the hotel with my son, we saw old candidate trying to go up in his room through the stairs. He chose to check in at a room called Jadewell located at the top floor. The room boys advised him to use the elevator but he insisted in using the stairs.

Then I saw his trusted lieutenant. I wonder why he keeps on preaching and promoting characterism when he cannot convince his own son who is known to be a regular client of bar joints and nightspots to stop his wild ways.

Too tired and exhausted, we decided to check out from the hotel with much disappointment. There’s really no place like home.

Later, I was thinking I would vote for the candidates who gave me favors such as gifts packages, money and food and subsequently they won. But as time went by, I noticed we were becoming poorer and poorer.

My son now only eats twice a day a meal of rice and a drip of soy sauce. Out of pity, I tried to steal, snatch cell phones but I couldn’t since it’s not my line. Yes, I was thinking, I will just use my media power to make money out from those illegals otherwise they will be exposed.

I went home with plenty of money in my pockets, but at my house door a man pointed a gun and shot me. In my subconscious mind, I heard some people crying, laughing but what made me wake up was the loud cries of children in our neighborhood. Yes, thank God it was only a dream. How I wish these would not come true as I experience the hottest day of my life.