A STERN-LOOKING, ramrod-straight Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) corporal in his impeccable khaki shirt and green trousers stood guard before stacks of iron ballot boxes at the ground floor of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) headquarters in Intramuros, Manila. The situation was tense. Synchronized elections had just been concluded and the national canvassing board had been constituted. In a matter of hours, the next president, vice president and 12 senators of the Republic would be proclaimed. And the task levied on the Marine corporal was simple: no one touches the ballot boxes without proper authority.

Not long after all the ballot boxes were unloaded, a bespectacled, white-haired man approached the pile of iron receptacles and, in a commanding voice, ordered some burly men to pick the ballot boxes and bring those to the second floor. The Marine immediately intervened saying, "I am sorry, Sir. But the orders given to me is not to allow anyone to get those ballot boxes without proper authority, Sir!" The man calmly said, "That is good to know. But I am the Comelec chairman." The Marine, startled a bit, replied gently but with conviction in his voice, "I am sorry, Sir. But I take orders only from my commanding officer."

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