Bais City Mayor Hector Villanueva is no Santa Claus but he, like the song, is making a list and is checking it twice to see who's "naughty or nice."

Come May 14, several politicians seeking public office will not get a single vote from him and his supporters, he announced at a press conference. First on the list, he had said, is Rep. Emilio Macias II, who is running for governor.

Villanueva said he was irked by the congressman's attempts to stop the mayor's project of lot distribution to beneficiaries in his city.

The other candidates who will not get Villanueva's support are the senators who voted for the conversion of 12 towns into cities during their February 5 session.

The Senate approved conversion of the following municipalities into cities: Batac, Ilocos Norte; Baybay, Leyte; Bayugan, Agusan del Sur; Bogo, Cebu; Borongan, Eastern Samar; Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte; Carcar, Cebu; Catbalogan, Samar; Lamitan, Basilan; Tabuk, Kalinga; Tandag, Surigao del Sur; and Tayabas, Quezon.

This move earned a howl of protest from the League of Cities, of which Villanueva is an auditor, as all cities stand to lose at least P10 million from their Internal Revenue Allotments to be shared with these new cities.

"These towns," Villanueva said, "did not meet the basic requirements on income (minimum of P100 million annually), size (contiguous territory of at least 100 square kilometers) and population (not less than 150,000)."

He said Senate President Manuel Villar had been calling city mayors these last few days to seek their support for his reelection bid but he had been consistently refused.

"Only a presidential veto on the approved Senate bill can change our minds," Villanueva said.

But even as the President is still deciding whether or not to veto the bill, the country's league of city mayors has announced that it will go to court to question the legality of the bills converting 12 towns into cities.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in her visit to Bais City last Monday, personally distributed Certificates of Entitlement to Lot Allocations to 472 qualified family beneficiaries.

Assisting the President in the awarding ceremonies were Vice President Noli de Castro, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, Administration senatorial candidates Miguel Zubiri and Luis "Chavit" Singson, Negros Oriental Gov. George Arnaiz and Bais City Mayor Hector Villanueva.

The CELAs covering a portion of 156,587 square meters of Lot No. 734 located in Sitio San Jose and adjacent lands along Tavera, Juan Luna and Burgos Streets were distributed by the president in accordance with Presidential Proclamation No. 881 which was signed by Chief Executive last July 2005.

Villanueva quoted Macias as saying that distributing the lots is illegal.

Macias has no opponent for the gubernatorial race but Villanueva said he will still campaign still against the incumbent solon. "If Macias will be pitted against a dog, I'll vote for the dog," Villanueva had earlier declared.

The mayor, however, said that he and Macias remain on good terms.

In the same press conference, Villanueva had formally declared his intention to seek reelection together with former Vice Mayor Luciano Benlota.

He said that he already has a complete line-up of the candidates for the city council and this includes his daughter, incumbent City Councilor Karen Villanueva.*AP

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