Word: godchildren
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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Philippine politics gets much of its murderous passion from the compadre system, under which politicians adopt the offspring of their constituents as godchildren. Top politicos like Macapagal and Garcia are compadres to hundreds of peasant families who eagerly give their services as bodyguards, precinct workers, fund raisers and propagandists as well as voters. In return, the politicians are expected to keep their adoptive kinsmen out of jail, find places for them on the national payroll. For the country as a whole, the compadre system usually means blood feuds and built-in graft...