Some bad stories about certain candidates may start to proliferate by now. This is an effort to discourage voters to cast their votes on a certain candidate. Stories about a candidate’s homosexuality, corrupt practices, involvement with drugs and gambling syndicates will start to emerge.

Advice for voters

• Smear campaigns do destroy a candidate’s reputation. It is therefore wise for voters to know the truth from fiction because a good candidate may lose his vote because of wrongful accusations.
• If you hear any story about a certain candidate, evaluate and know the truth. If a story is indeed true, evaluate if the issue will affect the effectivity of the candidate as a politician. Homosexuality, for example, cannot undermine a politician’s ability to make legislations.
• Do not be involved in spreading unverified rumors against political candidates. Many think election is the best time to expose the dark side of politician wannabes. In politics, however, there is a thin line between real and rumored dark sides. If you are not sure about any story, better keep your mouth shut. Being a voter does not give you right to abuse candidates during the elections.

On Smear Campaigns and Political Candidates

Smear campaign is among the reasons why election in the Philippines is yuck, kadiri! Why can’t political candidates just boast what they can do in the senate or in the barangay, or maybe enumerate all what they have done about certain environmental or social problems? Is it not better to campaign about one’s capacity rather than campaign about a fellow candidates liability?