Dirty elections - sometimes - can unmake a nation.

The Florida Electoral Fraud (in the USA), that helped install President George Bush Jr. as America's president resulted in a rightist military running Washington. Thus you have the unpopular Iraq invasion.

The revolt of the American voters in a mid-term election, however, saw the repudiation of Bush-antics and gave control of both the Senate and the House back to the Democrats.

The dubious 2004 presidential polls in the Philippines, on the other hand, had resulted in great instability and efforts of the State to fight for survival-by means fair and foul.

Extra-judicial killings, reward of political spoils, fascistic treatment of dissent and railroading of constitutional change were the classic elements pervading over the Philippine political landscape.

Now we are faced with 2007 Polls - a virtual referendum of the Arroyo administration.

Unlike the USA, the country is faced with possibly the dirtiest and bloodiest political exercise in years if we don't watch out.

We therefore call on for utmost vigilance and courage of all Filipinos in this peaceful struggle to effect changes in our often challenged democracy.

Recall the courage of the young Comelec programmers who walked out of the PICC on February 12, 1986 - before international television - to protest Marcos' brazen attempt to rig the poll results. Remember the brave 500 teachers who tied the ballot boxes to their waists in order to effect their transfer for counting. Be edified by the Viejo Guadalupe poll watcher volunteers who protected the ballot boxes with their bodies while bullets of Armalites whizzed over their lucky heads - that remained attached to their bodies after.

Be vigilant - as the attempt to automate the electoral process - has been subverted by fraud and various disguises to delay its implementation. Beware the disenfranchisement of millions of voters - Marcos style - where opposition bailiwick precinct listings of names and addresses were jumbled.

Educate citizens about monetary enticement not to go out and vote - in areas clearly partisan to one group or the other. Be aware of party-list candidates financed by jueteng or drug and even government money - out to preserve the "status quo" of political dynamics in the country. Watch out for replication of Jolo where the "favored" party list won with its votes more than the total registered voters in that Mindanao province.

Let's focus on the traditional dagdag-bawas notoriety especially of Muslim Mindanao. Let us not be quick to condemn the Mindanaoans since they are just the victims of "orders" for poll machination from somewhere near the Pasig River - for many years now. Just ask the Palace not to play dirty.

The vigilance must be high-octaned and leaders strengthened by Red Bull and Gatorade because "cheating experts" have been consulted to perfect the electoral fraud precisely because the leaders themselves have already committed themselves to subvert the process to achieve their political ends.

The system that made possible the "Hello Garci" leading to the "I Am Sorry" episode may still be intact today especially with the deputization again of the military (not the ROTC) when the AFP reforms initiated by resigned Defense chief Avelino Cruz was meant to insulate the men in uniform from the crossfire of partisan political strife.

And what about the goons of politicians - who will again strut their lethal weapons even with the strict election gun ban? How much blood-letting can our country afford and yet not erode the credibility of the results of the May 2007 elections? The whole world and the United Nations - who are both already aware of the political turbulence in the country - even before the election fever started - will have their binoculars open and their ears cocked down to the ground.

We call on the church to don the vest of Christ and inspire people to vote on issues, not personalities, by creating a matrix to evaluate the legitimacy of candidates based on competence, merit and integrity. Let the bishops, parishes, and schools - recipients all of government donation and patronage - isolate their sense of gratitude from the primordial duty to ensure that the country has clean and credible elections.

We call on teachers to be the role models of virtues as they are on the frontlines of this mid-term election. And we call on the COMELEC - to for once be forthright in their action - because this is one chance it can redeem its tattered pieces of garments due to automation scam and the Hello Garci sham.

And to the electorate, do not be dazzled by the brilliance of glitzy ads, the seduction of glorious sound bytes of ad jingles and the entertainment value of the "song and dance" routine. We are electing our leaders and lawmakers in this election - not candidates for "Eat Bulaga," "Wowowee" or "Game Ka Na Ba."

While electoral fraud did matter in the past - the corollary is also true. Having clean and honest polls can make a difference in the future of the nation's life style in the coming years.

The opportunity for transformation - from timid, hapless victims of political givens into a strong, sovereign people who will dictate the course of its own destiny - by acts of courage, vigilance and willingness to die for a noble cause, is entirely in our hands.

Are we up to this challenge for the May 2007 elections?