“I’ve never liked the recognition, the questions, the publicity. I have often felt like running away and hiding.”—Al Pacino

WITH apology to Walt Disney Feature Animation which produced the 1991 American animated musical romantic fantasy film “Beauty and the Beast” and released by Walt Disney Pictures, “Beauty and the Brave” is how I describe the contrasting exposure in the national media of two Ilonggos in the last week of October albeit in two separate events and controversies.

Beauty refers to Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo who hogged headlines not only for becoming the first Iloilo City resident to be crowned the MUP titleholder during the pageant at the Cordillera Convention Hall, Baguio Country Club in Baguio City, but after some losing contestants had sour-graped on social media to undermine Mateo’s victory.

The controversy was intensely tackled and went viral in the national entertainment news, social media, vlogs, and Western Visayas media where the villains and their disgruntled relatives (including some backers and aunts) have been exposed and ribbed by the netizens.

Brave refers to Jeffrey Celiz, also known as Eric “Ka Eric” Almendras, who came out in the open in a press conference in Manila on October 28 to denounce the Makabayan Bloc and accused several left-leaning party-list representatives of having links with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

-o0o-

Celiz admitted he was a former NPA cadre for 27 years and is now in the fold of the government helping end the country’s insurgency problem.

Celiz, former chair of Bayan in Panay Island, said he left the movement because he wanted to end the killings of innocent people and that he is now being targeted for possible assassination.

Celiz’s appearance came on the heels of the plan of Senator Panfilo Laczon to investigate on November 3 the red-tagging and alleged involvement of the military in the practice of accusing individuals of involvement in the insurgency.

Prior to Celiz’s “expose”, Lt. General Antonio Parlade, Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) chief and ranking official of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELAC), was in the news drawing widespread condemnation for his controversial remarks against female showbiz and beauty celebrities Liza Soberano, Angel Locsin and Catriona Gray.

Celiz’s decision to come out in the open drew different reactions from his friends and foes.

 -o0o-

THE new U.S. president won’t be known yet on November 3, the Election Day. In fact, there are fears here today that reelectionist President Donald Trump (who apparently doesn’t believe in losing) might declare victory (Tuesday night, November 3 U.S. time) if he will lead in the swing states.

This would be a tense moment for American democracy; this will test the resolve of America.

It will be the Electoral College that will elect the president. Here’s a summary of how the Electoral College will work in the 2020 presidential election:

Nov. 3, 2020: Election Day, when voters in each state will select their presidential electors. The names of electors are not on the ballot in most states. Rather, when a voter casts a vote for a presidential candidate, she or he is also casting a vote for the electors already selected by the party of that candidate.

If a majority of voters in a state vote for the Republican candidate for president, the Republican slate of electors is elected. If a majority vote for the Democratic candidate, the Democratic slate of electors is chosen.

 -o0o-

Dec. 8, 2020: Deadline for Resolving Election Disputes. All state recounts and court contests over presidential election results must be completed by this date.

For the majority of states, the date of certification is the same as for all contests, but in eight states there is a deadline that either directly references or uses similar language, requiring that disputes surrounding the selection of presidential electors be resolved in time to meet the “safe harbor” deadline: Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Dec. 14, 2020: Meeting of the Electors. The electors meet in each state and cast their ballots for president and vice president. Each elector votes on his or her own ballot and signs it.

The ballots are immediately transmitted to various people: one copy goes to the president of the U.S. Senate (who is also the vice president of the United States); this is the copy that will be officially counted later.

Other copies go to the state’s secretary of state, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the presiding judge in the district where the electors meet (this serves as a backup copy that would replace the official copy sent to the president of the Senate if it is lost or destroyed).

Dec. 23, 2020: Deadline for Receipt of Ballots. The electors’ ballots from all states must be received by the president of the Senate by this date. There is no penalty for missing this deadline.

Jan. 6, 2021: Counting of the Electoral Ballots. The U.S. Congress meets in joint session to count the electoral votes.

Jan. 20, 2021: Inauguration Day.

The president-elect becomes the president of the United States.

The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo