Balete 8. de Mayo de 1893

      Besides me today are some photocopied manuscripts culled from a bundle called "Elecciones de Gobernadorcillos de Capiz". With it is my handy magnifying glass and a newly sharpened Mongol. I've just read the whole bulk of it and now am appreciating their relevance.

    When I discovered their existence at the National Archives, I just can't believe my eyes. But the truth of the matter is, in my hands are the official ballots of the May 8, 1893 elections of gobernadorcillo. I read and I quote one:
"D. Ambrocio Aranas, gobernadorcillo actual de este pueblo, propone para succederle on el bienio de 1893 al 95. a.
D. Toribio Oquendo
D. Eulalio Feliciano
      Balete 8. de Mayo de 1893
     (the signature of the voter)" 
   In my possession are some 15 ballots duly signed by the voters--all officials of the pueblo in their capacities as either "cabeza actuales" (there were 11 barangays in 1893) or "capitan pasado".  Don Ambrocio Aranas, happened to be the outgoing gobernadorcillo and as his ballot shows, he opted to name Toribio Oquendo as his first choice and Eulalio Feliciano as his second. I am still deciphering who won the election that day.

   Maybe one day, when we have exhausted all the relevant manuscripts at the National Archives...we shall know. But what for. Ah, to paraphrase Beowulf, "Make a memory of me. Not as a king or a hero, but as a man--fallible and flawed."



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