NEWS: Aged ex-Gov. Yayong dares Mayor Uy, Cong. Olano for walkathon race on high noon

Tagum politics

By Cha Monforte, Rural Urban News

FEB 26

Ex-Davao del Norte Governor Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza, who is running for Tagum City mayoralty, dared yesterday his rivals reelectionist Mayor Rey Chiong “CO” Uy and outgoing Congressman Arrel Olano for a walkathon race in their campaigning to the barangays for the May 10 elections.

“I’m challenging them for a walkathon race on high noon,” 75-year-old Gementiza (independent) said in vernacular, in an interview.

He was replying to the issue hurled earlier by Mayor Uy (Liberal Party) that he was already a “dying moon” after becoming a “shining star” in the past.

“(The other day) we went at Pagsabangan and my younger companions were all hard up in catching me up,” said Gementiza, who did not deny that his independent group have already been making handshaking and rapport-making rounds in barangays even while the formal start of the campaign period for the local candidates has yet to start on March 26.

On the issue that he is already a “dying moon”, Gementiza said: “It’s just natural as I’m already old, but actually I’m still strong” while bending up his right arm.

He said that his real mayoralty rival is “CO and not Olano” even as he said that it would just be game for him if anyone between him and Olano (independent Lakas) will win in the polls.

“But I have already stopped endorsing Olano now,” he said.

Gementiza also twitted the policy of Uy on the raising of taxes while he wanted to “stop extrajudicial killings” happening in the city if he is given the people’s mandate.

Earlier, Uy had responded to the issues saying that he was just religiously implementing taxation and that those who have been complaining of it were really hard-headed businessmen who wanted escape from paying taxes.

Uy’s camap also said that only few businessmen have been complaining over their tax obligations while taxes have really been moving for the making of big, visible infrastructure projects in the fast development of the city during Uy’s straight two-term administration.

Also, Uy earlier said that those killed in extrajudicial killings “were bad elements” and that the city has now full peace while Tagumenyos are fully secured that they can walk without worries at night anywhere in the city.

In the same interview, Gementiza bared that while making his rounds he would ask people on who would win if Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio Jr is running for mayor against Olano.

“The answer is always Baby will win, and since I already defeated Baby in our mayoralty bout before, then I can easily defeat Olano, so it’s really CO who is my true rival now,” said Gementiza.

He also laughed off at the allegation that he is one of the tax evaders in the city.

But he admitted that he “failed to pay taxes for the unsold lots when I subdivided my land into lots a long time ago, but the taxes for it were paid later.”

“It’s in the record that I’m paying taxes quarterly now at the city hall,” he said.

Gementiza had defeated twice Uy in their vice gubernatorial bout in 1992 in the erstwhile undivided Davao del Norte and in their mayoralty bout in 2001.

“I don’t deny that, but (I lost) at the time when Yayong was still the shining star but he’s already a dying moon now,” said Mayor Uy in an earlier interview. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: yayong gementiza, yayong gementiza

BALITA: Yayong mihagit kang CO, Olano lumba sa baktas sa udtong tutok

Ni Cha Monforte, Rural Urban News

FEB 26

Gihagit kagahapon ni magpapili pagka mayor sa Tagum Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza ang iyang kaatbang nga sila City Mayor Rey Chiong “CO” Uy ug Kongresman Arrel Olano nga makiglumba kaniya ug binaktasay sa pagpangampanya nila sa mga tawo para sa umaabot nga piniliay.

“Hagiton nako sila sa binaktasay sa udtong tutok,” matud pa sa 75-anyos nga kanhi gobernador kinsa una nang gimakmak ni Mayor Uy nga usa na ka “dying moon” kun tigulang na gikan nahimo kining usa ka “shining star” sa una.

“(Sa miagi ganing adlaw) didto mi sa Pagsabangan ug ang akong mga kauban gikutasan gayod sa pag-apas sa ako ug baktas,”segun pa ni Yayong kinsa wa milimod nga nagahimo ug handshaking o pangumusta ug pag-abi-abi na ngadto sa mga taga barangay “sama sa ubang mga kandidato” bisag wala pa nagsugod ang pormal nga campaign period sa mga lokal nga kandidato karong Marso 26.

Sa iyang pagka “dying moon”, si Yayong mitubag: “natural kay tigulang na, but I’m still strong (pero baskog pa ko).”

Si Yayong usab miingon nga ang iyang kalaban pagka mayor mao “si CO ug dili si Olano” kay matud niya okey lang sa iya kung kinsay modaug kanila ni Olano.

“Pero gihunong na nako ang pag-endorse kang Olano karon,” matud niya.

Mimakmak usab si Yayong ang mga palisiya ni Uy sa pagpataas sa buluhisan nga giingon niyang mireklamo ang daghang mga negosyante ug katawhan, ug nga mapahunong “ang mga patay sa Tagum”.

Una nang gitubag ni Mayor Uy ang maong isyu nga igo lang siyang relihiyosong miimplementar sa pagpamuhis ug kadtong nagayawyaw “gahi gayod mobayad ug buwis”.

Giingon usab nga pipila lang ug dili daghan ang nagareklamo sa buluhisan samtang ang mga nakuhang buwis tataw man nga miadto ngadto sa daghang makit-an nga mga dagkong proyekto sa administrasyon ni Uy.

Si Uy usab una nang miingon nga ang nangamatay sa gikatahapang extrajudicial killings sulod sa syudad “mga maldito” ug nga ang syudad karon may kalinaw ug may todong seguridad ang mga Tagumenyo kinsa wa silay kabalak-an nga magsuroy-suroy sa kagabhion.

Sa mao gihapong pakighinabi, si Yayong miingon nga sa iyang paglakaw-lakaw karong panahona siya nagapangutana sa mga tawo nga kung kintahay si Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio Jr midagan pagka mayor batok kang Olano, ang iyang kanunayng mabatian ng tubag nga “si Baby ang modaug”.

“Kay gipildi na man nako si Baby pagka mayor sa una, pasabot nga mapildi nako si Olano, mao nga si CO gayod ang akong tinuod nga kalaban pagka mayor,”pagkumparar pa ni Yayong.

Gikataw-an lang usab ni Yayong ang alegasyon batok kaniya nga usa sa mga tax evaders sa Tagum City . Apan sa sunod yugto miadmitar siya nga may nalimtan gayod siyang wa nabayran nga buwis “pero sa una pa to dihang akong gilote-lote ang akong yuta pero nabayran ra pod.”

“Naa sa record nako karon nga quarterly ko nagabayad ug buwis sa city hall,” matud pa niya.

Kahinumduman nga kaduha na nga gipildi ni Yayong si Uy sa panag-away nila sa politika niadtong 1992 sa pagka bise gobernador sa dako pa nga probinsya sa Davao del Norte ug niadtong 2001 pagka mayor sa Tagum.

“Wa nato na gilimod, apan tungod kay kaniadto si Yayong mao pa man ang shining star apan karon dying moon na siya,” matod pa sa mayor sa unang pakighinabi. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: yayong gementiza, yayong gementiza

NEWS: Yayong denies withdrawing from mayoralty race in favor to Olano

Not YG but CO tops the survey- Rellon

By Cha Monforte

feb 1

Ex-Governor Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza (independent) has squelched spreading talks that he is withdrawing from Tagum City mayoralty race in favor to his rival Congressman Arrel Olano (independent Lakas).

The talks from the rounds said that Gementiza was “already bought by Olano” as it was not usual for him to make political acrobatics with his alleged “money-making politics”.

But Gementiza, in an interview, charged that if the talks came from the camp of reelectionist City Mayor Rey Chiong “CO” Uy (Liberal Party), “kung mo-withdraw siya ug una, mosunod ko ug withdraw. Kung kinsa man ang mo-withdraw, si CO na kung di siya gusto makatilaw ug katulo mapildi nako (If CO will withdraw first, I’ll follow him. But as to who should withdraw, it would be CO so he could not be beaten by me for the third time).”

Gementiza defeated twice Uy in the polls when they encountered in city mayoralty race in 2001 and in vice gubernatorial race 1992 during the erstwhile undivided Davao del Norte.

‘Kinsa man diay ang nanghatag sa ako ug kwarta? Kung may nakuha man ko nga funding, gigasto na nako tanan sa kampanya, kulang pa man gani (Who gave me money? If I got funding I spent all those to the campaign, it was in fact not enough),” Gementiza replied to the charge that he has been engaged in “money-making politics”.

Meanwhile, independent mayoralty candidate Cesar Cuntapay chided Gementiza for reportedly endorsing Olano saying that it was inappropriate and that it should be him who should instead be endorsed by Gementiza. 

Cuntapay said that before Gementiza filed his certificate of candidacy they had talked to team up for a tandem with Cuntapay as vice mayor.

“But since Yayong did not want to include in his slate the five councilors I brought we failed to agree,” he said.

In the same interview, Cuntapay claimed to have seen the latest “RDR survey” where Gementiza emerged as the front-runner even as the independent Cuntapay hit his three rivals with varying issues.

Cuntapay said that in that “ RDR survey” Gementiza got 33 percent, Olano 27 percent, Uy 22 percent and him 18 percent.

Cuntapay said that the survey ended without taking respondents in downtown barangays which he claimed as his bailiwick since professionals and businessmen like him abound in these areas and that he was carrying an anti-taxation platform of government.

“Kuntento na ko aning 18 percent nako (I’m already contented with my 18 percent survey rating),” he added.

Cuntapay claimed that the “RDR survey” was conducted by Liberal Party in the province which is led by unopposed reelectionist Governor Rodolfo del Rosario and his son ex-Vice Governor Anthony Rafael del Rosario (AGR), candidate for congressman in District 1.

But Gementiza played coy on survey results relayed by Cuntapay and commented “klaroha usa na ninyo (you better confirm that)”.

Gementiza earlier exuded confidence in this election as he reportedly banked on the potential splitting of votes between Uy and Olano and the latter’s possible raiding of Uy’s mass base as the congressman “is close to the Church”.

Uy earlier on the other hand shrugged off the issues and boasts of his opponents citing that his tangible accomplishments in the dramatic development of the city during his two terms as a mayor spoke for his solid track record of public service.

Vice Mayor Allan Rellon, on the other hand, said in a text message that on the contrary it was Uy who topped the survey and not Gementiza.

But AGR said in text message yesterday evening that he had no survey results except for the one which the mayor gave him three days ago and which did not include the results on the survey ratings of Tagum City mayoralty candidates. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: yayong gementiza, yayong gementiza

OPINION: The admission

BLOGISTA

By Cha Monforte

The admission of leading congressional aspirant Anthony Rafael del Rosario (AGR) that he is afflicted with Hodgkin Lymphoma cancer- Stage 3 is fatal to his political career and specifically to his plan of running for the District 1 post. Like it or not, even if he survives from the debilitating disease, people will talk about his health and physical capacity to handle the post.

We are forced to research online and found in the website of the National Cancer Institute of the United States that Hodgkin Lymphoma cancer in Stage 3 development has this state: “The lymphoma cells are in lymph nodes above and below the diaphragm. Lymphoma also may be found in one part of a tissue or an organ (such as the liver, lung, or bone) near these lymph node groups. It may also be found in the spleen.” The treatment requires chemotherapy or radiation therapy or both, good nutrition, and a lot of rest.

Hodgkin Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system and its symptoms include the painless enlargement of lymph nodes, spleen, or other immune tissue. Its symptoms include fever, weight loss, fatigue, or night sweats. The website tells of sure side effects of the treatment that include a weakened immune system “because chemotherapy and radiation therapy often damage healthy cells and tissues and the common side effects of cancer treatment are fatigue, pain, nausea, vomiting, decreased blood cell counts, hair loss, and mouth sores.”

Taking these literature, AGR’s cancer would really have an impact to his physique and gives great physical challenge to him in case he or his family still decides to still engage him in politics after his recovery from the treatment. We are 12 months ahead before a heightened electoral tempo of 2010, and if for the next 6 months his chemotheraphy is through and the next 6 months (July to January) he’s quite on track on rest and recovery, the early months of 2010 would all still be needed by him for mild physical activity considering that it is cancer and not a common disease that is afflicting him.

What Tagum pundits are saying that there is quite a doubt that he could withstand a bruising electoral campaign by March 2010 is thinkable speculation. As of this writing, we don’t hear yet that the Lakas leaders in Davao del Norte led by Governor Rodolfo del Rosario have convened purposely to tackle on who is the next in line after AGR for the congressional standard bearer although Vice Gov. Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio is now much talked of as the logical choice for the post.

But the governor could not indefintely put the issue on his hand considering the wrangling of Boardmember Roger “Dangpanan” Israel and the need for certainty in the political realignment with the seeming political exit of AGR. Also, with Baby’s shift for the congressional post, the vice governor’s post will become an open, vacant post and we expect further wrangling over for this from other Lakas party wannabes. Dangpanan for the VG post? What about the last-termer Cong. Arrel Olano? This has to be decided in consideration to the possible moves of the other factors outside the provincial political boardroom- City Mayor Rey Uy, former Gov. Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza (who has said why not also in Congress? But he threw his indorsement to Baby), and as well as the Floirendos.

Things are just beginning to be both certain and messy with AGR’s political exit due to his health (For online edition, visit http://cha4t.wordpress.com, ot http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com, for comments and reactions, text 09069104553, or email chamonforte@yahoo.com, watch “Tagum Newsbreak” of WTV 11 channel over Skycable Tagum)

Filed under: anthony del rosario, baby suaybaguio, yayong gementiza, anthony del rosario, baby suaybaguio, yayong gementiza

OPINION: A Season’s right topic

BLOGISTA
By Cha Monforte

dec 19

If there’s one good topic good-natured politicians in Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley must discuss during the merrymaking in the Yuletide Season it is the death of vibrant democracy in this part of the country. This death has been with us since two elections ago. This dying little by little occured starting when Fernando Poe Jr. ran for President, and when Kampi emerged as a new pro-administration party that fought against Lakas in 2004 polls. In FPJ’s loss, a song was made with a lyrics, “sa Pinas ang talo ay naging Pangulo.”

Since then electoral battles in Davnor and Comval have been engaged by Lakas and Kampi parties although there was such exemption when former Davao del Norte Governor Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza was forced to jump ship and went to United Opposition (UNO) after a political wrangling. But then Yayong’s muckracking wasn’t against Lakas nor Kampi being opportunist political parties, while his campaign went only for rallying around his personality and not much on issues. It was in that 2007 polls when Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario clutched in straws both the Lakas and Kampi bets that threw a monkey wrench to the District 2 bets of former Cong. Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo Jr.

Comval in 2004 polls has that political unification with former Gov. Jose “Joecab” Caballero running under Lakas with erstwhile political rivals, former Cong. Pros Amatong, Cong. Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora, and the Lakas mayors while Kampi then scarcely fielded municipal slates. It was in 2007 polls, when Caballero was shoved out from Lakas forcing him to use Kampi to engage in feverish battle with the Lakas titans.

When Kampi emerged only with few flickers in 2004 polls, it turned out to be a serious, alternative power contender against Lakas in 2007 polls, but in so far as the national bets were concerned, just the same to Lakas, Kampi also rued for Malacanang bets.

Without now the strong presence of Erap’s PMP, De Villa’s Reporma, Danding’s NPC, Drilon-wing Liberal parties in the two provinces, alternative political figures in the opposition are largely absent in the present political landscape.

At this writing, nobody even from the losing bets especially those having provincial stature and prominence, while not yet considered as political has-beens have engaged in even discursive engagements with Lakas and Kampi incumbents in critical and gut public issues of the day. Well, then Gob. Yayong and then Gob. Joecab are not yet seen as has-beens and spent force as far as my jaded eyes can see, but the former chose to still play a guessing game with the media when he earlier said he was convenient also to run with Gov. RDR, while the latter is still reportedly entertaining to be with the administration through Kampi. Santa Banana! Basa na ang record sa Lakas ug Kampi these days for pure and simple political opportunism while corruption issues are burning the fences of the administration, but sadly in our locales, no non-incumbent politician has yet emerged to engage in democratic discourse pertaining the incumbents’ policies and ways of running the government, nor someone from them has risen to be counted on as representative of the legal opposition.

But maybe potential legal oppositionists in our provinces, if really there are still souls out there, are just waiting for Lakas and Kampi parties to turn from basa to baho in the likes to what had befallen into KBL (Kilusang Bagong Lipunan) during the dying years of Marcos dictatorship. It seems that the blunder of legal oppositionists occurs not only when they continue to be in the comfort zone but more so when the refuse to see the writings in the wall, like the sentiments of our bishops these days, and feel the pulse of people. Look only how people gave political fortune to Isabela Governor Grace Padaca and Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio, who read well the temper of their own people.

For their continued silence as we now enter in electoral year a few days from now, while people observe, see and listen the failings and arrogance of administration Lakas and Kampi parties over the media, legal oppositionists in our provinces have only themselves to blame when they are routed again comes 2010. It’s they who voice for the practical check and balance in the provinces. The legal opposition place is right in the bedrock of our democracy. It’s the safety valve of peace. Without it, the alternative is the underground opposition, that only begets further violence and bloodshed we can only regret. It seems they don’t rage to the dying of the light or choose to become bystander in their own dark tunnel. (For online edition, visit my blog: http://cha4t.wordpress.com, txt 09069104553, e-mail: chamonforte@yahoo.com)

Filed under: governor rodolfo del rosario, prospero amatong, tonyboy floirendo jr, way kurat zamora, yayong gementiza, governor rodolfo del rosario, prospero amatong, tonyboy floirendo jr, way kurat zamora, yayong gementiza

Scuds for DavNor SP

BLOGISTA

By Cha Monforte

It seems that the City Council has been sending scuds to the hall of Davao del Norte SP. Last month there was a city ordinance that Tagum’s old political turk Tony Lagunzad detonated for being “vague”.

It was about an NFA lot subjected to a spot zoning and reclassification from agricultural to residential land use. It triggered a verbal ruckus at the SP, and so sooner it blew over to the face of Lagunzad, who was left out in the cold as the inquisitive Boardmember Ely Dacalus abandoned him and joined with the rest present in approving the measure. In the end, Lagunzad abstained. He was so lonely- home alone.

Such verbal wrangling inside the SP of Lakas/Kampi partymates is a portent of things to come even while the Great Tug of War across all DavNor SPs and SBs was not yet evidently coming unlike now after the Cong. Anton’s little subterfuge in the 1st District last week. Maybe there’s already backroom talk in the DavNor SP that Gob. Dolfo and his “eyes and ears” inside the Capitol, chief of all is his politically nosey administrator, have to better watch out.

BM Roger Israel murmured during the verbal tussle between BM Larry Caminero and BM Pol Monteroso over BM “Joe” Federiso’s landmark ordinance on participatory governance three months ago that he was not joining in the fray “kay mahadlok ko makasala”, obviously referring to a political wrath of Gob. Dolfo. “Seguro sa 2009 na,” Israel, the non-Dick, muttered.

Now the scud of the Purok Ordinance stirred the SP anew after it was left to gather dust in one of the SP drawers when it was first quelled from detonating last February. It is over 7 months now when the measure is intentionally- obviously- left to sleep lying on the table. It was not really shelved after Atty. Pasamonte struck the Purok Ordinance down as “legally infirmed” and following the city council resolution asking for its reconsideration.

But after that, nothing was heard, until the SP’s committee of laws chaired by BM Artemio San Juan dropped it like a hot potato to the committee of government and non-government organizations chaired by BM Caminero.

It was not in the dream of BM Caminero that one day he would be presiding a committee hearing attended by lawyers locking their horns over a measure suspected to be politically motivated like the Purok Ordinance and Suaybaguio’s Anti- Urban Poor Ordinance. Such first scud already landed hard on the lap of BM Caminero last Tuesday.

Now, the jaded political observers said that once the Purok Ordinance is enshrined, automatically Yayong Gementiza is emptied of his purok mass base, and if Suaybaguio’s ordinance becomes a reverse landmark piece of legislation, Cong. Arrel Olano, who has no other choice but to run for mayor for a dignified run or retirement, is also emptied of his urban poor mass base. These, while Mayor Rey “Cee O” Uy has his barangay mass base broadened by the mass bases of his most potential contenders in a three-corner mayoral figh by 2010. What a nosey guess of these jaded observers.

It would seem now that these scuds of what they say as “political legislations” are turning out to be seeds of discord between the City Hall and Capitol. The city council might be launching more scuds like rains before 2010, pundits just guess more.

BLOGBUZZ: No mea culpa. I used the word summon in ordinary way, most synonymous to call, and not within the legalese world and word. Well, Comval Boardmember Ruwel Peter Gonzaga last Wednesday delivered his privilege speech to clarify Sidlak’s banner news story on Tuesday about the SP’s plan of summoning (or calling) ex-Gob. Joecab to shed light on the ZTE deal in Diwalwal. He said Sidlak news and Joecab’s reactions were premature as the SP and its environment commitee would still act on the matter. But obvously, from our vantage point, there was already such agreement for a legislative probe, only that it was referred to a committee for final recommendation. The word summon I used was meant for the ordinary and not as a legal parlance… It should be UM Tagum College, and not UM Tagum City which I used in my series of reportage on the city’s own sex scandal. My mea culpa…. I went inside the campus the other day to coordinate for the Rural Urban News policy presentation and press forum next week. A lot of students said that the campus is now back to normal. Thanks. (For online edition, visit my blog at: http://cha4t.wordpress.com)

Filed under: arrel olano, baby suaybaguio, board member larry caminero, boardmember jose recarido federiso, chiong uy, davnor boardmember, davnor capitol, ruwel peter gonzaga, yayong gementiza, arrel olano, bm larry caminero, boardmember israel, boardmember lagunzad, tagum mayor uy, yayong gementiza