Philippine dishrug political culture: The case of ER Ejercito's disqualification

Traditional politics or otherwise known as TRAPO is a popular term used by many Filipinos to describe the kind of politics that we have in the Philippines. A traditional politician is often described as one inclined to corruption, a giver of false hopes to the people, one obsessed with personal ambition, who perpetuates power, inclined to political dynasties, and one who is steeped in patronage politics. [1]

Despising is the fact that many politicians here in the Philippines would result to illegal means and even legal ones to satisfy their self-serving interests from campaign elections to their term of office. Take for instance campaign elections. Vote buying is a prevalent practice especially in provinces and although illegal, it has already become a political culture in the country. Another instance is ad campaigning in the media. Although there is a law on the spending cap of advertisements on TV, politicians still push through its limit just to gain people's votes by permeating an annoying campaign jingle stuck on the citizens' head. These illegalities are obvious, despising and yet, we know it's something we hardly can get out of the system. It's already practice. It's already culture. It's traditional politics. It's TRAPO.

A recent case on the disqualification of ER Ejercito filed by Comelec and affirmed by the Supreme Court shows one example of camouflaged traditional politics. According to news report, the SC upheld Comelec's decision on disqualifying Laguna Governor Emilio Ramon "E.R." Ejercito from his post after finding him guilty of violating Sec.68 of the Omnibus Election Code. [2]

Sec.68 of the Omnibus Election Code states that a party be disqualified as a candidate or if elected, be removed from continuing office in case one spends his campaign election in excess of that allowed by the Code. [3] Comelec found Ejercito to have spent over 23 million pesos on his election campaign despite the cap of 4million or 3 pesos for every registered voter in his province. [4] Thus, Ejercito was found guilty of violating the provision of the law.

There is no doubt about the Ejercito's violation since the law is clear. However, what is odd about the case is the fact that this is very prevalent in our politics over the years. We see overspending, vote buying, patronage politics, political dynasties and the like cases of traditional politics and yet news reveals that this is the first time Comelec has ever declared a decision on disqualifying someone based on overspending. [5] Any one could draw the obvious fact that there is some sort of politicking behind the case especially after the issue of Mayor Erap's pending disqualification and Senator Jinggoy Estrada's plunder charges. 

Let's face it. Although there is a good in every news we see, there will always be dirty politicking underneath the political sheets.  It's already practice. It's already culture. It's traditional politics. It's TRAPO. And if we still elect the same traditional politicians this 2016, we can never get out of the system--the dishrug political system.

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[1] How would you define a 'traditional politician?'
[2] SC affirms ER Ejercito's Disqualification
[3] Section 68 of the Omnibus Election Code
[4] SC junks ER Ejercito's motion v. disqualification
[5] Comelec division disqualifies Laguna Gov ER Ejercito for overspending in 2013 polls