An onlooker watches the wackiness taking place at the baragay hall.

An onlooker watches the wackiness taking place at the baragay hall.

Barangay madness. [*a "barangay" is the smallest form of municipal demarcation]

Former Chairman Jimmy DeGuzman in Blumentritt, Manila refuses to surrender the key to the barangay hall to new Chair Len-Len for weeks after the election.

Thus she is forced to get assistance from the Barangay Bureau Director and the police. Despite coming to his door Jimmy still refuses to surrender the key, as he continues to wish to use it as his office.

The new Chairwomans supporters take down all the old signs and force open the door to the government owned barangay hall.

The new Chairwoman's supporters take down all the old signs and force open the door to the government owned barangay hall.

So they are forced to break open the locks and doors.

Jimmy has served 3 terms, and had his wife run this term. Initially his wife and Len-Len tied. During the count a fistfight broke out between Jimmy and Len-Len’s husband. Len-Len won the by-election.

Insane? Yup. But it says alot about the state of democracy in this country…

A new makeshift lock is installed after the door to the barangay hall is forced open because the former Chairman refuses to hand over the keys to what he calls his office.

A new makeshift lock is installed after the door to the barangay hall is forced open because the former Chairman refuses to hand over the keys to what he calls "his" office.