Since March when Vote 2010 was unveiled in VERA Files website, our local partners have been actively sending us stories which give us a picture of the situation in the provinces this election season.
In Iloilo, Melvin Purzuelo of Green Forum Western Visayas said there is no clear party lines. It’s halo-halo. His report:
“As if the automation of the May 10 polls were not complicated enough, local political formations here are making the upcoming elections more confusing.
“Mayor Jerry Trenas, who is running for congressman, and Vice Mayor Jed Mabilog, who is running for mayor, have formed an alliance with only the two of them as common candidates. Trenas supports the Nacionalista Party (NP) for the national positions while Mabilog is with the Liberal Party (LP).
“For the local positions, Trenas has endorsed his brother-in-law, Councilor Jose Espinosa III for vice mayor with his set of councilors while Mabilog has expressed support for Councilor Julliene Baronda of Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) and her own set of councilors. These councilors are also running under different political parties.
“Trenas and Mabilog were allied with former justice secretary Raul Gonzalez in the 2007 elections but they are now bitter contenders. Trenas has accused the Gonzalez camp of masterminding the grenade-throwing incident in the mayor’s bakeshop and ancestral house last March.
“Gonzalez, previously an NP stalwart, is running for mayor while his son, Rep. Raul Gonzalez Jr., is seeking reelection under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD. Antonio Pesina is running for vice mayor with the Gonzalezes.
“They eased out one of the original Kampi leaders, Lorenzo Jamora, a former administrator of the Local Water Utilities Administration, now running for mayor as an Independent. Allied with Jamora are former mayor Mansueto Malabor who is running for congressman and Dr. Aquilles Hortillosa, for vice mayor.
“Surveys showed that Trenas and Mabilog have been rating well, scoring nearly 50 percent, but an observer said that the Gonzalez’s 20 percent are a solid bloc because it consists of loyal followers.”
The gentle air of Laguna, about two hours away from Manila, has been broken by killing of a barangay chairman last month.
A report by Diana delos Santos said elections in Laguna used to be peaceful but “things seem to be changing in Biñan, San Pedro and Sta. Rosa that comprise the first district of Laguna.”
De los Santos said, “On March 23, Barangay Chairman Eric Jimenez of San Antonio, Biñan left the city’s sports coliseum after watching cockfights and was walking to his car when he was gunned down. He was shot thrice, once in the head, and died on the spot.
“Police believe that the killing was purely political in nature.
“More than a week later, police gunned down Nasio Capunitan, confirmed to be Jimenez’s assassin. Another person whom police said was the lookout but whom they refused to identify was arrested.
“The two men are reported to be hired killers. Police are still looking for the mastermind of the killing.
“Four days after the shooting, police announced that Sta. Rosa Mayor Arlene Arcillas-Nazareno and Rep. Dan Fernandez of Laguna’s first district had received death threats. Biñan Vice Mayor Arman Dimaguila has also reportedly received death threats.
“Arcillas is the daughter of Leon Arcillas, former mayor of Sta. Rosa who was gunned down on May 10, 2005 in front of City Hall. Residents say this is the only incident of political killing before Jimenez’s assassination on March 23.
“At the same time, police reminded Biñan Mayor Len-Len Alonte-Naguiat to take extra care despite her running for reelection unopposed.”
In Catbalogan City, the Leyte Samar Daily Express reported that t he Independent Commission against Private Armies (ICAPA) urged politicians in Eastern Visayas to help dismantle existing private armed groups.
“ICAPA Chairperson Justice Monina Arevalo-Zenarosa singled out the region as among the places where these armed groups continue to exist. The others are Abra, Marawi City, Davao, and Zamboanga del Sur.
“Zenarosa said during a public forum Friday that these private armed groups are largely maintained by politicians, and that the dismantling of these groups could lead to the peaceful and orderly conduct of the May 10 elections.”
Reypublic of Balimbingan is also Republic of Dynasty Politics.
Meanwhile, have just read this in FB:
Arrogance… Hubris!
In Quezon province, 4th District Rep. Erin Tanada, a Liberal Party stalwart and an arch-critic of GMA, has allied himself with 3rd District Rep. Danny Suarez, a Lakas Kampi-CMD stalwart, an staunch ally of GMA. The two put up Danny Suarez’ son Jayjay Suarez for Governor against the incumbent Governor Raffy Nantes, a Liberal.
Rep. Tanada is of course supporting Noynoy Aquino for President while Rep. Suarez, who owned up paying from his own fund that much talked about million pesos breakfast @Le Cirque with GMA, is supposedly behind Gibo Teodoro but rumors are milling around that he’s really for Erap. I read somewhere that Suarez’ wife Aleta, herself a former congresswoman, is supporting Manny Villar.
Re: joeseg – April 28, 2010 2:29 am
Hahahaha! Woe is me! What a system.
I’m surprised about Erin’s support for Danny Suarez. Surely, he, of all people, know Danny Suarez!
knows…
Ang gulo, ang saya ng local politics.
Noynoy’s pronouncement that if he would loose, he is cheated and that if he wins, it’s the people’s will. Sounds familiar, remember the time Cory was running against Marcos, they also used the same line. Tsk, tsk,,, arrogant indeed.
Now it makes me wonder, the LP is now insisting on a parallel manual and auto count. Question is, if the output on both the auto and manual counts are different from each other, how would we know which is not tainted? For me, just stick to auto counting and random parallel counting. They might use the manual counting to make it appear their bet is winning through trending, ala NAMFREL. One of the main reason why Gloria “won” in 2004, Garci aside.
Even SWS then (2004) was trending with it’s exit polls in Metro Manila favoring Gloria when in fact, it was an overwhelming victory for FPJ in Metro Manila.
They might use the manual counting to make it appear their bet is winning through trending, ala NAMFREL. One of the main reason why Gloria “won” in 2004, Garci aside. — Mike
Absolutely!
In the final analysis, Politicians are not really allied with anybody but themselves.
In Caloocan City, Mariano Almeda, the former chief of staff of Mikey Arroyo, one of the incorporators of the company that supposedly owns Mikey’s properties in San Francisco, is running for congressman under the Nacionalista Party but he is aligned with Mayor Echeverri who is LP mayoralty candidate against former Rep. Baby Asistio who is with Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masa.
Remember the adage. . . politics is all local. . .
RE: Ang gulo, ang saya ng local politics.
Sinabi mo pa Igan Chi, nakigulo na din ako mundo ng pulitika…kahit na lampas sa langit ang galit ko sa Not Once, but Twice regime e heto todo suporta at open na pagsuporta ko sa aming kandidatong Mayor na nakaticket kay Gibo.
Kasi ganito yon, ang incumbent Mayor e inaanak ni Gloria sa kasal at dating katicket niya na ngayon e balingbing pala na lipat-bakod kay Noy Yellow Fever.
Isinusuka na ng mga kababayan ko ang Mayor na ito kasi nga e kabata pa e kurap na…kaya no other choice na suportahan namin itong bagong alternative at 29-years old lang.
Hope na magkaroon ng bagong-bukas ang aming natutulog na bayan at napag-iiwanan na ng mga karatig-bayan na dati e mas maunlad pa ang aming bayan sa kanila.
Ang saya pala sa pulitaka…mayroong matutuwa sa iyo o kaya magiging kaaway mo, parang piesta kaliwa’t kanan ang bandaritas ng pro at kontra.
Grabe talaga…pera pera ang labanan!
RE: In the final analysis, Politicians are not really allied with anybody but themselves.
Mga lingkod-bulsa Igan SumpPit, ginagawang negosyo o propesyon ang mahal sa pwesto.
Kaya wala sa pagtino ang Pinas lalong palubog, but sila naman e lalong yumayaman…saan tayo patutungo nito?
Ang hunyango e kamag-anak ng mga balimbing…kaya ang kakapal ng mukha, isinusuka na ng taong-bayan e kapit-tuko pa sa poder ng kapangyarihan.
Mabait talaga si Bro. e dapat sa kanila e tamaan ng kidlat ng maubos ang mga hunyango at balimbing sa ating lipunan…puro sila pahirap sa bayan.
Paano ngang aasenso ang Pilipinas niyan kung hindi mo malaman kung alin ang santol at alin ang balimbing?
Wala ka nang mababasa kundi paninira sa iba bilang kasagutan sa mga katanungang hindi kayang sagutin ng isa?
Ang mga pulitiko ay gusto naman talagang maglingkod sa bayan, mamuno. Iba’t iba nga lamang ang pamamaraan at motibo. Some only want to protect their interests. A few want revenge. Others are only seeking vindication. Meron din namang gusto lamang ay popularization. ‘Yung iba naman, gustong maglingkod ng buong katapatan, para maiba naman. Pero, ang lagay eh, ganu’n na lamang ba? He he he.
Sabay sabay kaya nating iboto.
RE: Sabay sabay kaya nating iboto.
Pinatawa mo naman ako Igan MPR, parang sinabi mo pa na alin ang nauna ang itlog or ang manok?
Ito ang problema sa ating bansa, gusto ng lahat e maging Pangulo…kahit na nga sa barangay level e nagpapatayan ang Pinoy maupo lang sa kapangyarihan.
Ang hirap espilengin ng iba nating kababayang Pinoy!
Excerpt from the column of Ernest Maceda = Daily Tribune, which somehow confirmed what I posted @#3:
In Catanauan, Quezon, Lakas Mayor Ramon Orfanel, a UP Law graduate told us that Erap will win in his town. Lakas Rep. Danny Suarez and wife, Aleta, hosted Erap, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, JV Bautista and Joey de Venecia in Unisan serving a sumptuous lunch of lechon and seafoods cooked in coconut milk in a seaside setting. Mrs. Suarez, a long time family friend and former congresswoman whispered to us that Erap will win in their district. Danny Suarez was confident that son Jay-Jay would win over Gov. Raffy Nantes.
Sa Pilipinas, ang pagkandidato sa anumang posisyong lokal o nasyunal ay parang paghahanap ng mina ng ginto. Kapag ibinoto at nanalo, ‘yun na! Natagpuan na ang mina sa pusod ng birheng kagubatan na parang bukal ng tubig na hindi mauubusan, hindi matitigang, sapagkat doon patungo ang lahat ng agos na nagmumula sa iba’t ibang daluyan.
Kaya ang mga namumuhunan (pulitiko) ay magkakatulad ang laman ng isipan – kung paano didispatsahin ang kalaban. Magkaroon man ng alyansa, bawat isa ay hindi inaalis ang tingin sa likuran. Mahirap na, sapagkat nangakangiti man kapag magkakaharap, ang pangingibabaw at pamamayani sa isa’t isa ang iniisip. Kailangan laging lamang sa partihan, hindi dapat magulangan.
Danny Suarez is the traditional all around trapo… not surprised at all. He would kiss the devil’s ass if he could make money out of it. Politics is a way of making money as far as he is concerned.