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

who checked in at room 17?

AUG 26- SEPT. 1, 2010

This question lingers at press time as the Aug 13 election of officers of the Philippine Councilors League-Davao del Norte is being continually hounded by the charge that there was vote-buying of councilors among the 116 total number of councilors throughout the province resulting to the victory of Panabo Top 1 Councilor Janrey Gavina as the new PCL president and an ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

Gavina denied the charge last Monday.

In a check by the Valley & City Chronicle, Room 17 of the Lakan’s Place hotel and inland resort is located in the first level of the hotel building and is the first room in the row of hotel rooms where a passageway is directly going to its door before it turns left along other rooms.

A frontdesk officer who did not want to give her name said Wednesday that per policy of the hotel they are prohibited from “leaking” information to others about the names of people who checked in in hotel rooms.

She said: “Katong PCL ma remember nako nga gi-reserve na man to ang mga rooms para sa mga councilors. May taga Kapalong, taga Sto. Tomas… Basta pag check in nila nag-angkon angkon ra man to sila sa mga kwarto…. Ms ako ning room, Ms ako to. Nagkanya-kanya na sila ug kuha sa yabe”.

She said that they had no list of names of those who checked in in the rooms reserved by ex-PCL president Larry Caminero.

The Valley & City Chronicle sent a text message to Caminero inquiring who checked in at Room 17, but he has not yet replied until press time. (RUN)

Filed under: boardmember larry caminero, booardmember larry caminero

NEWS: Oyo now serious for Congress bid

april 14

Tagum City Councilor De Carlo “Oyo” Uy is now serious in his plan of vying for the Davao del Norte District 1 congressional post amid reports that he has already prepared his camp, backed up by his father City Mayor Rey Uy, on how to further float his name to the electorate as a good congressional aspirant.
He gave silence on said report but instead he said in a text message that “I’m not confirming about it but I’m seriously contemplating the idea”.
Since when the former Vice Gov. Anthony Rafael del Rosario made a public admission early this year that he is afflicted with Hodgkin Lymphoma cancer in Stage 3 development, the post that would soon be vacated by last-termer Congressman Arrel Olano has become hotly sighted and prematurely contested by among Lakas and Kampi partymates.
At press time, Anthony’s father, Governor Rodolfo del Rosario is mum on whether his son, who declared his intention to run for the post mid last year, would be still be coming to gun for the post amid drumming up of reports that his disease is curable and the continued inclusion of Anthony’s name in province-sponsored sports activities.
Reported to be among those eyeing for the post were Vice Gov. Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio, Boardmember Roger “Dangpanan” Israel, and Philippine Councilors’ League provincial president Helario “Larry” Caminero.
As Anthony went to Manila for treatment and as talks ripened over about his most potential successor from within the Lakas party, Vice Gov. Suaybaguio let loose gripes about the governor’s past political decisions and maneuverings that allegedly diminished the political stature of Suaybaguio.
At one time, Suaybaguio said in a report he could afford to be on the losing end this time around as to his longstanding congressional aspiration.
It could not yet be immediately ascertained if Suaybaguio has already patched things up with Del Rosario following the issue about the governor’s alleged act of disowning the vice governor’s whereabouts relating to his US trip last December.
The reported falling out of Suaybaguio from the governor’s grace has reportedly resulted to “much sipsipan” of Boardmember Antonio Lagunzad, while Boardmember Israel also continued to grumble over his own congressional ambition but careful of not hurting the governor as Israel bid for the latter’s political blessing.
Meanwhile, Boardmember Caminero said in an interview welcomed the latest statement of the younger Uy saying that “it’s good that there’s now voice from the youths like Oyo who will meet the challenge of representing our people in Congress.”
“I welcome him as a good potential rival,” Caminero added.
There is still much silence these days on whether the defeated congressional aspirant in the last polls, former DOTC Secretary Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez will be coming in to join the congressional fray. He already attempted twice but failed to grab the post despite the reported millions he poured to his political and barangay leaders especially in the last 2007 polls. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: anthony rafael del rosario, boardmember larry caminero, boardmember roger israel, councilor de carlo "oyo" uy, mayor rey uy, pantaleon "bebot" alvarez, vice gov. victorio "baby" suaybaguio jr, anthony rafael del rosario, boardmember larry caminero, boardmember roger israel, councilor de carlo "oyo" uy, mayor rey uy, pantaleon "bebot" alvarez, vice gov. victorio "baby" suaybaguio jr

OPINION: The dark horse and the populist

BLOGISTA
By Cha Monforte

Boardmember Helario “Larry” Caminero has all the potential to be a congressman in the District 1 of Davao del Norte. At least that was one floated by others last week. But I say BM Caminero has first the qualifications- he came from the legitimate media, became a Kapalong administrator, councilor and now the PCL president in the province. He has also the winnability- only and only if all the municipal councilors will troop around him and dream they could produce a congressman of their own. Why not?
In the country’s elections, there are suprises and upsets. But it looks like these took place in different tempos. North Cotabato Greg Andolana, for one, had only little money from lawyering but he was carried by the waves of victorious opposition right after EDSA Uno uprising and had the backing of the Church people that made him a congressman. Andolana fought against an entrenched fortress of moneyed poliliticians in the late 80s and showed that with a galvanized people long revolted by the traditionalism and excesses of provincial power brokers one poor man could still win in a high public position. That was Andolana’s favorable epoch- similar to the springing up of Atty. Bal Sator as congressman then.

It was so long after EDSA Uno military-backed civilian uprising that Grace Padaca of Isabela in 2004 and Ed “Among” Panlilio of Pampanga in 2007 respectively captured the gubernatorial post against long-entrenched and moneyed political clans, no less than in the President’s home province in Among’s case. While they lacked a party and a well-oiled machinery to run a campaign, there was a groundswell of support from the people, who desperately sought a change in leadership. The good political fortunes of Cong. Way Kurat Zamora, former Gov. Joecab, and Cong Olano were etched in queer political milieu and tempo, but these need a another essay or two to bare.

But if a tempo that local legislators, the councilors who comprise 98 percent of incumbent elected officials could be made and they rally for their own congressman, BM Caminero has a chance to beat today’s current aspirants for the post- Vice Gov. Baby Suaybaguio and BM Roger “Dangpanan” Israel. This is the key in setting up BM Caminero as the dark horse for the congressional post in District 1.

But at the end of the day, it is still the people who should be awakened for ideals for them to rally for a good candidate who truly represents their plight and aspirations.

*****
Then and now populism- seen in the common tao’s cry “gikan sa masa para sa masa”- has been a leveler factor for poor candidates against those coming from the rich and moneyed. Even if it’s made and spinned as battlecry, in the likes of the hit rapped up by Erap in his presidential run, the dominantly poor electorate are won over for the sight that they have one of their own running for a public office. Ours is representative democracy, and we need true representatives, not the representa-thieves.
Former Davao del Norte Governor Yayong Gementiza quipped in my recent interview that he had only the fermented tuba nga bahal when he was still a jambolero, a street-smart broker of agricultural products, to feast on with the masa when he defeated a young, popular UM Tagum professor Nick Suaybaguio Sr. for Tagum municipal mayorship in 1967. For being with the unwashed masa, Yayong’s political career keeps on flickering- even now, I suppose.
Last-termer City Councilor Vicente “Enting” Eliot, the one teased (condescendingly?) during sessions by lawyer Councilor Joey Millan, has been in a life of odors, dusts and gutters as a magbobote, but being “Mr. Botelya” is one sight the great unwashed masa in Tagum has been visibly proud of. No wonder they voted “Enting Magbobote” for a long-reigning barangay captain and a city councilor for three straight terms, besides the various presidencies of Church organizations he served from the mandate of pastoral and laymen’s flocks (Name it, he has it). For over thirty years now since the early 70s, Enting does buy and sell of bottles, bakal, plastics and other recyclable saleables for a living, from which his brood of six children have succesfully earned their respective professions.

No doubt, Enting’s livelihood on scrap through the decades allowed him to talk and immerse with the masa. That makes him different to Millan, who lawyers for the few landowners. Enting is not annoyed of the sweat and brawn of the laborers, who compose the backbone of Tagum’s economy. The populism that has long come to associate to Enting Eliot by his trade is his most competitive edge in politics. That did him already through the years as a populist politician.

That makes him also a sure replacement to one of the four vacant slots for boardmember in District 1 of Davao del Norte. Sources said that only BM Tony Lagunzad will be left for reelection as two BMs are going back for mayoral comeback, one is graduating and another is running for Congress. Now if there’s already that Great Tug-of-War in the SP, with the moves of former Cong. Tonyboy Floirendos (will this ever come), the more a populist Eliot is given vacant BM slots for a good filler.

BLOG & BUZZ: Welcome Police Supt. Giusseppe Geralde for the Tagum City PNP chief post. His first name, from Italian name, is just pronounced “Joseph” and his family name pronounced “Heralde”. Today he would be conferred the rank of police supt from police chief inspector. He’s a PNPA graduate Class ’98 and has gone serving as chief of police in Sulop, Magsaysay and Digos City in Davao del Sur before becoming the intel and operations provincial chief of Davao del Norte, his most recent prior his present assignment. The new COP is like Police Supt. Dario Gunabe- amiable, friendly to local reporters. COPs being civilian in character should know rudiments of community relations through the legitimate press….Who’s this rumored public officials (male and female) who went abroad to secretly meet there to rekindle past and present love affair? Just tsismis?

(For online edition, visit my site: http://cha4t.wordpress.com, or email: chamonforte@yahoo.com, text 09069104553 for your reactions and commentaries. Watch my hourly “Tagum Newsbreak” over WTV 11 channel in Skycable Tagum)

Filed under: boardmember larry caminero, boardmember roger israel, councilor joey millan, plc president boardmember helario "larry" caminero, tagum councilor vicente "enting" eliot, vice governor baby suaybaguio, boardmember larry caminero, boardmember roger israel, councilor joey millan, plc president boardmember helario "larry" caminero, tagum councilor vicente "enting" eliot, vice governor baby suaybaguio