The furies running
after Bing and Newks

The baying hounds of politics have been hounding more against Mayor Bing Leonardia and Congressman Monico (Newks) Puentevella rather than against former Mayor Joy and Vice Mayor Renecito Novero, the latter the announced challenger of Newks for the lone congressional district.

Normally, the focus of attacks and counter-charges should have been the mayoralty bets. The congressional candidates remain normally as the alternative targets. But from the very start of the election season, the issues in Bacolod had simply just joined Bing and Newks, erstwhile bosom friends.

Well, to a certain extent, that also defines who will handle the campaign of the two contending tickets. In short, both Bing and Newks must also bear the financial burden of the campaign.

Thus, yesterday, City Legal Officer Allan Zamora challenged Puentevella to answer the many issues against his incumbency as representative to the House of the lone congressional district of Bacolod.

Thus, for him, initially, the issues boil down to the fertilizer scam, involving Jocjoc Bolante, former agriculture undersecretary; the unexplainable expenditures for the Paglaum Sports Complex rehabilitation; the unliquidated expenses for the Southeast Asian Games coursed through Bacolod Southeast Games Organizing Committee. There are many more Zamora said he will dish out in dosages.

Now, the thing that still has to be taken into consideration is what former Newks trumpeter Alex Paglomutan had promised to come out with against Monico.

In short, while the government center project seems to have tarred Leonardia et al, Newks is himself not exempt from the dirt thrown at him from many directions.

That's why I had always resented politics. The dirt-throwing is obnoxious and almost intolerable. And one must develop a calloused mien to be able to maintain a straight face amid all the provocations and mire.

Perhaps, the best thing to do is for the protagonists to simply answer in the clearest terms the various accusations against them by their opponents. No need to come up with high-fallutin explanations. Just simple answers that will disabuse the most malicious minds.

C'est la vie!!!

***

If true that Vice Mayor Lawrence Teves has been functioning as acting mayor of Tanjay since Jan. 24, what is the reason why he could not sign permits and legal transactions for and in behalf of the mayor?

And acting Mayor Teves should by now have gone out of his way to determine the exact status of the health of Mayor Baltazar Salma. Is he really permanently incapacitated? If so, why not admit it? Why cling to a position when one can't discharge the functions thereof?

The DILG does not need to consult its legal division. What should be done is for the local government officers to secure from the physician attending to Salma a statement on his real state of health.

This is something that they can very well demand for. If not, they can ask the court to order the attending physicians to truthfully declare the actual situation of Mayor Salma's health.

***

Ho hum. This is one uninteresting contest. The joust between the United Opposition and the Unity Ticket of the administration. Except for a handful of them, majority of those vying for the electors' choices are … well …. The only exciting personalities, insofar as I am concerned, is Rep. Mike Zubiri of Bukidnon and chief of staff Mike Defensor. Even then, Mike has become too familiar a figure he has become matter of fact.

One thing apparent, though. A lot of the Unity Ticket members were just picked up simply to fill up the ticket. For example, Zambales Vice Governor Vic Magsaysay. What did he do that will stick in the minds of the voters as a come-on for them to cast their votes for him?

Leyte Gov. Jericho Petilla reportedly belongs to a well-known political clan. But well-known where? Leyte? I haven't ever heard of him despite the fact that I often travel the length and breadth of Visayas and Mindanao. Thus, to ask his popularity to become broad enough to make him a potential winner in the senatorial contest is almost near impossible.

Former Senators Vicente Sotto and Tessie Oreta are hardly hot potatoes that could fire up the imagination of the voters.

Now, that doesn't mean to say that the United Opposition ticket is also extraordinary. It suffers from the same mistakes as the administration party. Trillanes, for example, remains suspect. And, what makes Koko Pimentel so desirable so that people would be enticed to vote for him. Just simply because he is the son of Senator Aquilino Pimentel does not entitle him to my vote. And so with former Senator Nikki Coseteng, although she is Ilongga and may be entitled to my regional vote.*

back to top