THE incident resembled a tragic political drama. Mardijo's defeat was predicted four days before the gubernatorial election. And when the final tally affirmed his loss, the political tension that had built up like a crescendo blew up, as rioters hit the streets last weekend.

Mardijo is an ordinary politician who has one simple ambition: to become governor. He thought he had read the political map correctly—that he had support. But commun