TWO FULL-PAGE POLITICAL advertisements in the Inquirer yesterday caught my attention.

One reminded voters to make an intelligent choice by presenting 16 senatorial candidates (even if only 12 are to be elected) as qualified and deserving.

The other is a call for all Muslims to reject the candidacies of Mar Roxas, who is running for vice president; Frank Drilon, for the Senate; and Erap, for president.

Instead of convincing readers to reject the candidates mentioned, the ads even made them more popular?in the case of Roxas, Drilon and Erap?and the other?a ?reminder? to vote intelligently a big sham.

Stupid advertisements.

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The first advertisement, in the business section?s page B6, was ?a public message? from the ?Coalition of the Deserving? that claims to be composed of professionals, civic leaders, students, volunteers and public servants.

It mentioned the senatorial candidates worthy of the people?s vote: Juan Ponce Enrile, Drilon, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Jinggoy Estrada, Kit Tatad, Bongbong Marcos, Ralph Recto, Tito Sotto, Silvestre Bello III, Jovito Palparan Jr., Bong Revilla, Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid, Danny Lim, Sonia Roco and Ramon Guico.

All are deserving, except one, and the inclusion of his name destroyed the others: Lito Lapid.

Susmaryosep! What has Lapid, who?s running for reelection, done at the Senate to deserve the votes of intelligent and educated readers?

Why compare Lapid to Enrile or Drilon or Santiago or Bongbong Marcos or Bello and even Palparan?

Palparan, considered a ?berdugo? or executioner by his critics, is the most controversial in the lineup.

If you knew Palparan up close and personal you wouldn?t condemn the guy.

He was only doing his job of inflicting damage on the New People?s Army (NPA), considered an enemy by the government but which many people think is fighting for a just cause.

Palparan, one must consider, was an Army general who was expected to annihilate the ?enemy of the republic.?

Many accuse him of committing human rights violations in areas where he was assigned.

But in war, especially in a guerrilla war, everything is fair.

Both sides commit violations against civilians whom they consider their enemies.

I would consider Palparan a principled man.

A principled man is not swayed by what others think about him so long as he knows he?s doing the right thing.

?Right? is a relative term. What is right for one may be wrong for another.

But Lito Lapid?

What has he done in the Senate to merit reelection?

Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Wala.

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The other advertisement, which was found on A-8 or the Inquirer?s main section, mentioned the controversial proposed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Ancestral Domain.

The MOA-AD, which the Gloria administration tried to ram down the throats of non-Muslim Filipinos, was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

That was the reason for the call to all Muslims to reject Roxas and Drilon, for severely criticizing the MOA-AD.

All non-Muslims will vote for Roxas and Drilon because they were against the MOA-AD.

There is a call against Erap because he declared war on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front when he was president.

The effect of that is the opposite: non-Muslims in Mindanao will vote for Erap if only to spite the Muslims.