Dujali chickens out

Sept. 23-29, 2010

But says he reserves his speech in time for approaching barangay election

Boardmember Alan Dujali appeared to have chickened out from rendering his promised privilege speech as he did not avail the privilege hour last Monday’s 11th regular session of the Davao del Norte’s Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

But minutes after, asked in text message, while he was attending the session, he said in reply text message: “I have my privilege speech at my possession. I still have to deliver it in the right time especially when the barangay election is approaching to remind these operators that the fight for clean and honest election is not yet over”.

He voluntarily gave a copy of his draft privilege speech to the Valley & City Chronicle through his female staffer.

Dujali’s draft speech, it appeared, has none of the character of being explosive as it did not contain what would run along what he was earlier quoted of that he had “documented what they did” about the alleged vote-buying that preluded in the election of provincial officers for the Philippine Councilors League-Davao del Norte last August 13 at the Lakan Place’s Hotel. He also earlier said that “it was a bastardization of the PCL I came from”.

He was the PCL provincial president serving as ex-officio boardmember for the years 2001 to 2004 while serving as Panabo city councilor.

In his draft speech pundits described as “watered down”, Dujali did not specifically name Boardmember Janet Gavina who three sessions ago questioned and belittled Dujali for “sour graping” for rendering a privilege speech four days after the PCL election.

Gavina obviously came to the defense of his son PCL president and Boardmember Janrey Gavina.

Dujali raised there was “envelopmental politics” in the councilors’ election of provincial officers.

A portion of Dujali’s draft privilege speech exclusively given to the Valley & City Chronicle states: “What I am against Mr. President is not on the candidates per se, but to the process… how the campaign was conducted by these operators or campaign managers… Mr. President, I am a sinner but one thing’s sure, vote buying is not one of the sins I’ve committed.”

“The issue at hand is envelopmental politics. By discussing this problem, maybe a thorough deliberation, we can come up with a better solution,”another part of Dujali’s draft speech stated.

The young Gavina earlier denied he engaged in vote buying to win and get his post.

Asked to comment that Dujali voluntarily gave a copy of his draft privilege sppech to the media, Gavina in text message said that there was nothing to reply to as Dujali did not to make render his privilege speech.

In an interview,  Governor Rodolfo del Rosario Monday last week in his post PCL election commentary said, “di na dapat politikahin ang selection of councilors” citing that the PCL is just a fellowship club of councilors and councilors would be better left to decide on their own.

Defeated ex-PCL president and Kapalong Councilor Helario Caminero did not reply to the request for comments of the Valley & City Chronicle.

Caminero’s is though seen writing a column again in another weekly and opining other matters and never touching about the PCL election where he was defeated by Boardmember Janrey Gavina by only two votes. (RUN/cha monforte)

 

Filed under: boardmember allan dujali, boardmember alan dujali

Are you with us or against us?

sept 2-8, 2010

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY

Boardmember Alan Dujali bared that he is currently “under so much pressure” from the “some of his friends” into not proceeding his privilege speech this most awaited Monday.  After an interval of one week  without a session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the boardmember bared that he had already prepared his privilege speech in the last weekend and he wanted to refute that the election of provincial officers of the Philipine Councilors League- Davao del Norte Chapter was not clean at all and that there was vote-buying that preluded it.

The legislator from Panabo City has possible damning documentation on how the vote-buying for the PCL election was carried out. But a possible hitch may occur due to intense pressures from “some of his friends”, and this would be his backing off of his privilege speech in reply to the privilege speech of Boardmember Janet Gavina, who came to the defense of her son new PCL president Janrey Gavina even as the latter had also denied he engaged in vote-buying to get his post. The public needs to know the real score in the allegation, so the highest hope is for Boardmember Dujali to proceed delivering the privilege speech he already had prepared in the last weekend.

With that rather lengthy time of documentation, which took some 5 to 6 days after Boardmember Janet Gavina made her own privilege speech questioning and evidently speculating about and at the same time belittling the sincerity in the oratory of Boardmember Dujali, would have us speculate also that most possibly the latter would be offering testimonial evidences from election participants and witnesses, for why does he say in the first place that “his documented vote buying and how it was done” makes him believe that “ it is the ultimate bastardization of the league” that he came from.

If Boardmember Dujali so backs off this most awaited Monday we wish that the concerned friends of his are not the well-meaning friends we know to be lurking in the Capitol- those winners from the Liberal Party, those who constantly cajole and engage into boot-licking to curry the favors from governor, otherwise we would be coming full circle to that earlier reminder of Dujali’s first privilege speech, “show your true colors now, are you with us or are you against us?”. Had the governor not travelling in California to visit his son Congressman Antonio Rafael del Rosario-we speculate more- he could have make a marching order to Boardmember Dujali to proceed delivering his speech since it is the truth that sets men free besides that the election turnout was also tagged as the LP partymates’ betrayal to the defeated reelectionist Helario Caminero and ultimately betrayal to the very dear governor who personally went to the PCL election and before the casting of votes and his leaving from Lakan Place’s Hotel reminded the councilors in congress to vote out from their free will, based on the ideals of integrity, commitment and excellence and not by money consideration. That would be truth-seeking step he would trailblaze rather than tread the route of just forgetting immediately what has been ill-done during the election and immediately proceeding to buckle down to work after the election as Boardmember Janet Gavina had raced to speculate so much about the governor in her own privilege speech.

Just to say a least, those some friends who wish Boardmember Dujali to back off are making great disservice to the governor, or they are engaging into machinations and subterfuge in his leadership, if not backstabbing him while he is four seas beyond from the Capitol. And to them, this question is daringly asking an answer: ”Are you with the governor or against the governor?”  – Cha Monforte

 

Filed under: board member larry caminero, boardmember allan dujali, boardmember janet gavina, boardmember janrey gavina, boardmember larry caminero, boardmember allan dujali

BM Dujali “under so much pressure from some friends” not to deliver speech

sept 2-8, 2010

Davao del Norte Boardmember Alan Dujali, who earlier tagged there was vote-buying that preluded the election of provincial officers of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL), said that he is “so much under pressure from some friends not to deliver his privilege speech” on Monday’s session of the Sangguniang  Panlalawigan.

In a reply text messagesent to the Valley & City Chronicle, Dujali said: “I have prepared my speech as early as last weekend to dispute their claim that it’s an honest election. I have documented the vote buying and how it was done and I believe that it’s the ultimate bastardization of the league that I came from.”

Dujali was once a PCL president while serving as Panabo City councilor.

Suspense has continued to swirl in the Capitol since the other Monday after Boardmember Janet Gavina delivered his own privilege speech coming to the defense of her son new PCL president Janrey Gavina.

The younger Gavina also denied he did not engage in vote-buying of councilors to win and get his current post.

Earlier sketchy reports said that vote-buying of councilors among the province’s 116 total councilors occured days close before the August 13 PCL elections at Lakan’s Place Hotel with vote-buying money ranging from P5,000 to P20,000 per targeted councilor.

Room 17 of the Lakan Place’s Hotel was also tagged in separate sketchy reports as the room where the still unknown political operators holed themselves in in making their vote-buying activities to the targeted councilors.

Boardmember Atty. Raymond Joey Millan, in casual talk with Boardmember Hernanie Duco and few mediamen, earlier said that he heard that three paper bundle wrappers for P1,000 bills were swept from Room 17.

Councilors from various towns slept in the hotel a night before the PCL election.

The younger Gavina said that the PCL election was a one-day affair and not an overnight one.

Ex-PCL president Helario Caminero had reserved many rooms for the councilors coming from towns to sleep in the hotel a night before the PCL election.

Caminero lost by two votes to Gavina who bagged 57 votes against Caminero’s 55 votes.

Camineo at press time has not yet replied even in text message to this paper’s queries for comments and request for information on who checked in at Room 17.

Sources said that Caminero is busy and “is always in Manila” as he was tapped by the PCL national body to be the “executive director of the PCL Legislative Academy” which he conceptualized supposedly for PCL Davao del Norte Chapter.

Caminero was supposed to launch a PCL training institute or academy which would give modular-type of schooling to councilors who have not finished high school or college studies, but because he lost in the PCL election the responsibility of continuing the project was put to the lap of Gavina.

Gavina said the other week he would still have to confer with the other PCL officers and know first the guidelines on the PCL training academy before deciding whether to implement the project which Caminero had started. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)

Filed under: boardmember allan dujali, boardmember allan dujali

Dujali to tell about PCL “vote buying” on next Monday

AUG 26- SEPT. 1, 2010

Visibily stung by the potshots in the privilege speech of Boardmember Janet Gavina last Monday’s session, Boardmember Alan Dujali said:  “See you on next Monday and I will tell what they have done” regarding the alleged vote-buying that stigmatized the concluded election of the Philippine Councilors League-Davao del Norte Chapter that saw Gavina’s son Janrey elected as provincial president.

Dujali did not said further, when pressed for more comments to Gavina’s speech in an interview with the Valley & City Chronicle right after the adjournment of last Monday’s session.

There will be no session of the provincial board on the coming Monday, Sept. 30, being a rare 5th Monday in a month, besides that it was declared a non-working holiday. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan only makes regular sessions every regular Monday in a week.

Earlier, during last Monday’s privilege hour, Boardmember Gavina visibly came to the defense of her son now PCL president and Boardmember Janrey by questioning and responding to the issues raised by Dujali in his own privilege speech the other Monday following the PCL election.

Dujali after Gavina made her speech said on the floor he “has no violent reactions” to it.

The PCL election was held last August 13, Friday,  at Lakan’s Hotel in Tagum City.

The Gavinas and Dujali all hail from Panabo City.

In his speech delivered three days after the PCL election, Dujali raised that there was “envelopmental politics” that resulted to the defeat of reelectionist PCL president Helario “Larry” Caminero, a Liberal Party bet.

He particularly blamed some LP partymates in District 1 “for betraying Caminero” and hinted that the political treachery among partymates hit even Governor Rodolfo del Rosario whom he said personally campaigned for Caminero’s reelection fairly and squarely based on “party’s interests above anything else” and without funds.

He dared betraying partymates to show their political colors now before the 2013 elections to know “whether they are with us or against us”.

Dujali’s speech came on the heels of sketchy reports that about 80 to 84 councilors, not 40 to 48 councilors as earlier reported, were given money by “many bagmen” operating in days close before the PCL election in giving money targeted councilors to vote for Gavina.

Boardmember Atty. Raymond Joey Millan of Tagum City in casual talk with Boardmember Hernani Duco of Panabo City and a few mediamen outside the main door of the SP building heard about “80 councilors” who were given vote-buying money while a broadcaster Bogart Saliot said that a Panabo City councilor showed him a text message that they gave money to “84 councilors” to vote for Gavina.

Millan also heard that a day before the PCL election the vote-buying money doled out already fetched to “P13,500”.

Other sketchy reports said that the money given ranged from P15,000 to P20,000 for each targetted councilors.

Millan also heard that three paper bundle wrappers for P1,000 bills were swept from “Room 17” of Lakan’s Hotel.

There was also a sketchy report of a white pickup vehicle parked in the morning of the PCL election in the hotel’s premises being approached by several councilors one by one. Each time a councilor went out and distanced from the white pick-up vehicle he was either smiling or seemingly wore a happy face, a another sketchy report said.

Another sketchy report said that the money given was only P5,000 to each targeted councilor.

But, also after the last Monday’s session, in separate interview with local mediamen at the office in SP building, Janrey Gavina denied he engaged in vote-buying for him to get elected (see separate story).

During the PCL election Gavina obtained 57 votes against Caminero’s 55 votes. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)

Filed under: boardmember allan dujali, boardmember janrey gavina

“Envelopmental politics” raised on PCL elections, P15T, P20T given to “80 councilors” to vote for Gavina?

Aug 19-25, 2010

Who owns the three P1,000 bundle wrappers left at Room 17 of Lakan’s Hotel?

By Cha Monforte, Rural Urban News

Imprints were left, regrets were raised and words on alleged vote-buying spread across and up to the Capitol a few days after the holding of the Philippine Councilors League in Davao del Norte last August 13 at the posh Lakan’s Hotel and Inland Resort in Tagum City.

Boardmember Atty. Raymond Joey Millan, in casual talk with Boardmember Hernani Duco and some local mediamen, said that he heard that there were “40 councilors” who received vote-buying money before the election and not “48 councilors” as told by a broadcaster from Panabo City.

A broadcaster, Bogart Saliot said that he had earlier talked with a Panabo City councilor who showed him a text message that they had allegedly given money to “48 councilors” to ensure the victory of now PCL president and Panabo City Councilor Janrey Gavina.

Millan also said that he also heard that three wrapper bundle papers for P1,000 bills were also swept from “Room 17” of Lakan’s Hotel.

He added that he learned that a day before the election the money for the councilors “was already P13,500”.

But there was also a sketchy report about a white pickup vehicle parked in the hotel parking area that was approached by several councilors, one by one, and each was smiling or in visibly happy facial mood each time a councilor went out from the vehicle.

But a separate sketchy reports said that vote-buying money ranged to P15,000 to P20,000 for each targeted councilors, and that there were “many bagmen” operating in days close before the PCL election.

Another sketchy report though said that the money given was only P5,000.

The province has a total of 116 city and municipal councilors.

The City & Valley Chronicle tried to contact Gavina in his office at Panabo City Hall for comments but he was out. His female staffer named Bel gave instead her own cellphone number saying that she should first be sent with text message before to Gavina. Until press time, Bel has not yet replied to this paper’s request for Gavina’s comments.

During the PCL affair but before the election of officers, Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario and District 2 Congressman Anton Lagdameo arrived and respectively spoke before the assembly of councilors.

The governor left before the casting of votes, but Cong. Lagdameo remained in the venue past the lunch and until the results of the election were known.

Reelectionist PCL president Helario “Larry” Caminero of Kapalong lost only by two votes to Gavina, in 55 to 57 votes in favor to the latter.

Caminero, being a Liberal Party member, was the governor’s bet, while Gavina of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD was Lagdameo’s bet.

The PCL presidency race was equated to be a contest between two competing political parties in the province, with the governor and Lagdameo being the provincial chairmen of the LP and Lakas-Kampi-CMD, respectively.

Observers have now deemed that with Janrey’s entry, the Lakas-Kampi-CMD has now “six votes” in the SP associated with the Floirendos and Lagdameo as represented by the two Gavinas, Boardmembers Duco, Dr. Daniel Lu, Ely Dacalus, and Dr. Fred De Vera, as compared to the LP and LP-allied “seven votes” associated with Gov. RDR as represented by Boardmembers Millan, Dujali, Antonio Lagunzad, Vicente “Enting” Eliot, Shirley Belen Aala, FABC president Demetrio Maligro, and SK federation president Dennis Cafe.

Dr. De Veyra though was merely “perceived to be Lakas”, while Aala is known to be close to former Congressman Tonyboy Floirendo Jr.

Millan and Eliot, on the other hand, are perceived to be loyal political soldiers of influential last-termer Tagum City Mayor Rey Uy, who is also known to be a close friend of Tonyboy Floirendo.

Interviewed right after the PCL winners were sworn in, Cong. Lagdameo said that he stayed put in the venue until the results were known “to show my full support to Biboy Gavina.”

“Sana walang problema yan,” he added while expressing hope for the continued unity in the PCL. He also congratuled Gavina and the rest of new PCL officers.

But Dept. of Interior provincial director Gregorio Versoza, in a separate interview, dismissed allegations of rigged PCL election saying that “everybody was given a chance to witness the election that was held in the open.”

He said that there was no undue inteference on the part of the governor and Congressman Lagdameo whom he said “just observed the proceedings”.

It was Versoza who administered the oathtaking of the new PCL officers right after he declared Gavina and the rest as winners of the election.

During the privilege hour of last Monday’s session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Boardmember Alan Dujali (Panabo), while graciously accepting defeat of the LP in the PCL polls, expressed woe and regret over the reign of “envelopmental politics” that came to associate with the election of the councilors in the province.

In what appeared as a satirical speech, Dujali congratulated first and gave a salute to the campaign managers and operators who gave victory to Lakas and obviously reminded fellow LP councilors that the governor “personally campaigned” for Caminero for “party interest above anything else.”

“He campaigned to hold the line.. even saying wala tayong pera,” he added, and to just bring the good party principles of integrity without bribery and intimidation during the PCL polls.

Dujali said that they in the District 2 delivered though “defeated but not outfought” but he added that it was sad to say that some party members in the District 1 ostensibly in Tagum City failed to support Caminero even as he reminded them that the governor had been with them during those “trying moments” in the last May polls.

He added that despite the majority of the LP number among the councilors, Caminero lost “because he was betrayed by some fellow partymates.”

With this “serving as a lesson”, Boardmember Dujali then dared betraying LP partymates to “show us your true colors- either you are with us or you are against us”.

In the last part of his speech, he though welcomed Gavina saying, “welcome aboard”.

Dujali, an independent candidate in the last polls, was the only survivor in Lakas onslaughts in District 2 in the race for boardmember. He was though adopted by the LP as guest candidate.

Gavina was a no-show during his supposed first session last Monday. It was presided by Senior Boardmember Shirley Belen Aala, the acting vice governor with the current travel of Gov. Del Rosario in California to visit his ailing son Cong. Anthony Rafael del Rosario (District 1).

But acting Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio Jr told  this paper last Monday he would have to administer an oath first to Gavina to be a new ex-officio member of the provincial board representing PCL on Monday.

Gavina was reportedly on the wake for the death of his grandmother Liwayway Gamao, mother of Boardmember Janet Gavina. The latter is Janrey’s mother.

Other PCL provincial top winners were Tagum City councilor Mylene Baura, secretary general, who was unopposed, Gabriel Eric Estela, treasurer, Nieljun Esdrelon, auditor, Donna Mae Baldonado, business manager, and Julie Montequilla, public relations officer. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)

Filed under: boardmember allan dujali, boardmember janet gavina, boardmember janrey gavina, boardmember allan dujali, boardmember janet gavina, boardmember janrey gavina, boardmember raymond joey millan, plc president boardmember helario "larry" caminero