BANGUED, Abra: The filing of certificates of candidacy for local positions last week signals the approaching election season, and for inmates at the Abra Provincial Jail (APJ), this could mean one thing: Freedom.

If the prisoners are to be believed, politicians or their representatives will soon be heading for the APJ to bail some of them out or arrange their temporary release so they could serve as goons during next year’s elections. The official campaign period for local elections will start on March 29 and end on May 11, two days before election day.