Early poll bets
The next local election is still very far.
But this early, there are already names being floated as possible contenders for various local positions.
Carmen Mayor Cheche Toribio de los Reyes is mentioned as possible for the governatorial position.
Sources said the Carmen Mayor is in a very unique and enviable position.
First, she has the money. Lots of it, actually.
Second, she has the will to use her money when necessary.
I completely agree that having money and the will to use them are deadly ingredients in the current state of Philippine elections.
She can also muster other attributes.
She has the energy and vigor to wage a province-wide campaign. She also has the necessary track record as chief executive. It’s just a matter of paradigm shift – from micro to macro management.
Nobody can also question her political charm, which she can fully utilize to her advantage.
The location of Carmen in the political geography of the province also works to her advantage because it is located right smack in the center. She enjoys proximity to all the mayors and barangay leaders of Bohol.
She is practically the spider on a giant political web; something that her opponents can only turn green with envy.
Her gender may also work in her favor. The current crop of female mayors in the province is, generally speaking, doing well. Many female chief executives are displaying admirable qualities in instituting concrete reforms in their respective localities.
The female voters may just end up endorsing one of their kind for the top provincial position next year.
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Loboc Mayor Leon Calipusan is also touted as a potential congressionable bet in the 3rd district.
Reliable sources said he is now working his charm to secure the endorsement of the Liberal Party as their congressional bet. The same sources said the chances of getting it is good because the political hierarchy in the national level is looking for somebody other than incumbent Cong. Art Yap.
Yap’s closeness to GMA has been tagged as the main reason for this.
If Mayor Leon can secure the blessings of the LP, I was told there is certainty on his running against Cong. Art Yap.
Presumably, his financial backers are merely waiting for this.
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In nearby Panglao town, many are saying they have had enough of Mayor Dodong Alcala and they want to replace him.
Who to choose for?
Actually, there’s plenty. Meaning, more than 1.
There is incumbent Vice Mayor Evangeline Lazaro, sister of former Panglao Mayor Toribio Bon, who just might decide to take a try for the topmost position.
Many are saying her unique position as an active medical practitioner places her in an enviable position of being close to the poor people all the time.
It is common knowledge in Panglao that she is no longer “chummy” with Dodong Alcala.
Then, there’s former municipal kagawad Nila Montero who is also touted as a shoo-in for the mayoralty position. She enjoys close personal and political relations with former Panglao Mayor Doloreich Dumaluan.
She has the necessary resources and more importantly, she has an axe to grind against Dodong Alcala.
Montero and Lazaro are friends though. It is possible that the two would come to some sort of modus Vivendi to ensure a winnable mayoralty bet.
And there is a dark horse.
Former Inabanga Mayor Boy Jumamoy is also touted as another mayoralty candidate of Panglao.
Following his split from wife Royjie, he is no longer staying in the conjugal abode in Inabanga.
Boy Jumamoy is now a resident of Panglao town and seems to nurture some political ambitions.
A source who claims he is familiar with Panglao politics says this 3 or 4-cornered fight is advantageous to Mayor Dodong Alcala.
He is the incumbent so he can also use the resources of the town for this campaign sorties.
The source also said Dodong Alcala’s supporters have proven themselves extremely loyal to him in the past elections. All these plus the casuals and Dodong Alcala will have a very deadly political punch comes the May 11, 2013 elections.
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In Corella town, there is no surprise anymore.
Vice Mayor Vito Rapal is definitely aiming to reclaim his mayoralty position against the incumbent Mayor Dodong Tocmo.
Rapal and Tocmo are in each other’s throat over basic issues like water, quarry works, public works projects and graft and corruption.
There are several charges and counter-charges between them and this includes some censurable expletives too.
While they disagree on many policy issues, both agree that to settle the score, they just have to face it out in the next elections.
The voters of the town are up for some very attractive “manna from heaven” during the last days of the campaign period.
For sure, money will flow, and flow profusely.
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In Valencia town, there are talks that Vice Governor Conching Lim may decide to just slide down as mayoralty bet.
The huge campaign expense to secure the vice governatorial position has not been “recovered,” sources claimed. There is not much budget in the vice governor’s office.
There are also talks that she is getting upset, distressed and frustrated over the unpaid utang by a political “giant” to the tune of 38 million pesos.
Sources also said she reportedly has had enough of being “used” as financier to some politicians every election time.
All these are pretty good reasons, said my source, for Conching Lim to slide down as mayoralty bet for Valencia.
And who will be her contender?
This early, the name of Ship Capt. Boy Dango has surfaced as possible contender.
Dango ran and lost as vice mayoralty bet in the 2010 elections with retired Air Force General Leo Olegario as his running-mate.
This time, sources told me that Dango has decided it’s the right time to make a bid for the mayoralty position and he appears ready for the battle.
For sure, the extent of his preparation will be known during the campaign period.
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We shall have more of the political countdown in our succeeding episodes.
It bears remembering that next year is an election year.
* * *
Former city Liga ng mga Barangay President Faro Cabalit got a sharp whack last Friday when newly elected Liga President Pepot Besas lambasted him in his privilege speech.
Why Cabalit should insists in Besas having confirmation from the national Liga when this is not required for getting an ex-officio membership in the city sanggunian under the Local Government Code or even in the Liga by laws?
This, in gist, was what Besas said in his speech.
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Now, now, there are actually two contentions here.
Faro Cabalit’s notion has something to do with his removal from office as city Liga president.
He said his removal was illegal because under the Liga by-laws, the grounds for removal are specified.
Loss of confidence, he said, is not among the grounds. When Cabalit was ousted in a special election August of last year, loss of confidence was cited as ground.
Besas’ citation last Friday has nothing to do with removal of Liga President.
It has something to do with assumption as ex-officio member of the sanggunian.
An opinion from former DILG secretary Ronaldo Puno said the constitution and by-laws of the Liga or the Election Code does not require the confirmation by the national Liga board before a duly elected Liga president of the municipality or provincial/city can assume as ex-officio member of the Sanggunian concerned.
This puts in the sidelines Cabalit’s insistence that pending confirmation from the national Liga, Besas cannot legally assume the position of ex-officio member in the city sanggunian.
He also got a formal eviction Order from Vice Mayor Nuevas Montes last Friday.
There is no more legal or factual basis for Cabalit to continue staying in the Liga office in the city hall.
* * *
There is one observation here worth mentioning.
While Faro Cabalit is questioning the legality of his ouster and Besas’ election, the problem here is that he has not filed any complaint before the national or even in the provincial Liga.
His complaint was more in the local media than in the forum where it counts the most.
He was more into publicity than submitting his issues before the proper forum.
This, I think, is the problem with Faro Cabalit’s case.
More when we return, stay tuned for more.
“To demand proof where none is required is to exceed the provisions of law. At the very least, it limits and hinders the performance of duties,” he pointed out.
Besas said that to demand proof where none is required would be an unnecessary obstacle to the urgent tasks that is demanded from all public servants and the office that he represents.
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