OPINION: Political year

BLOGISTA
By Cha Monforte

We’re definitely on political times down the road. Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario said it so Monday during a Kapihan. On the broadside, he described the spread of malicious text messages on the alleged Sportivo overprice scam as one political intrigue, even while he dared the unknown cabal to come out into the open and then prove and substantiate allegations. Veteran and seasoned Igacos politician, Boardmember Artemio San Juan has no reservation in saying that this year is when intrigues will fly thick and fast.
Good for Gov. RDR and BM San Juan. They said what should be expected. Recalling back during the gubernatorial reign of Joecab in Comval, this is the same time of his last term term when he got an ultra-filibustering and obstructionist majority of boardmembers led now Gov. Chiongkee Uy. Joecab’s executive budget was re-enacted for the majority’s intentioned failure to approve. On a hailstorm of allegations vented by Joecab’s oppositionists over the media, new budget approval was snagged while the issue of pork barrel for direct disbursement by the legislative department landed on COA’s frying pan. The cooked menu was named disallowance.
That was history though but preluding Joecab’s electoral defeat. The lesson learned is that towards halfway of a term is already a political season and politicians have to start politicking in the open. It’s now time to cast that phrase out, “malayo pa ang eleksyon, trabaho muna.” It’s no-no now. Such is good for the last year. The pundits are after all right. If outsiders and challengers could not make a dent in the public mind later this year, they could not break even with the incumbents considering the latter’s administration advantages. January 2010 is time for premature electioneering already.
So with this, the choice of Comval Lakas to make this month, January as the time to decide whether the congressional standard-bearer is Vice Gov. Ramil Gentugaya or congressman’s daughter Boardmember Maricar Zamora-Apsay is just right and fitting. At least the one who is left out by the party has still the time to jump to opposition’s ship and dovetail with the national opposition presidentiables and senatoriables. That way he or she could still have plenty of time to organize a districtwide or provincewide political structure and machinery.
The case of former Davao del Norte Gov. Yayong Gementiza is an exemption. He was shoved out from Lakas on the rather eleventh hour, two months before the 2007 elections, while he was the sitting governor. When he jumped to United Opposition, it was not late as he had all the provincial activities and government manpower and logistics served for his reelection. But RDR had more logistics, men, media, bailiwick, techniques and organization than what a personalistic Yayong could muster for a win.
The Big Ramil-Maricar Problem of Comval Lakas is different. If it’s BM Maricar now, then VG Ramil is shunted out from provincial-sponsored activities and mass gatherings from this month up to the election ban time as it would be a duty of of Gov. Uy in the tandem to expose and promote Maricar as his runningmate. VG Ramil could still invoke his inclusion being a VG to whatever provincial activity but it would be a sneaky one, if not a cat-and-mouse affair- he’ll appear first onstage while Maricar is still away and coming.
But that’s still an iringan win-win solution while VG Ramil holds his ground as a Lakas member banking on the possible free zone stance or lobotomy of Uy on the last hour. But it’s better for VG Ramil to jump ship to the opposition on this scenario as he has his own logistics and two mayores and the people’s opposition temper on the waiting to favor him. But a longstanding-Lakas member Ramil to the opposition? It’s too unlikely, but just maybe.
On the other hand, if the choice is VG Ramil, the same scenario would hold true to the provincial activities except that BM Maricar is a lesser political mortal for constant isolation. The big problem is that she has a card, in fact a wild card who could throw a money wrench to Lakas in Comval Uno- Cong. Way Kurat Zamora, a stage-, propa- and gimmick-savvy and most popular politician in Comval, while he has three mayores at his side. Which could trigger a chain reaction to District 2, and voila- provincewide! Being that, Cong. Way Kurat is good opposition material and a potential regional opposition chairman, from whom funding flows in the likes of Joe Tejado during Erap’s presidential running in 2001 elections.
But a Way Kurat to the opposition? He who delivered over 13,000 votes margin to GMA over FPJ in 2004 elections and who consistently participated in slaying the four impeachment complaints against GMA? It’s still likely since GMA has already been repaid by Way Kurat’s votes. Bayad na. A plain citizen Way Kurat could have the best potential of becoming a cabinet member, chairman or undersecretary of a national agency under a new President coming from the opposition. On this good scenario, Way Kurat has nothing to lose even if Maricar loses. But he has more to gain if Maricar wins. (For online edition, visit my blog at: https://cha4t.wordpress.com, for comments and reactions, text 09069104553, e-mail: chamonforte@yahoo.com)

OPINION: The three-corner fight for Comval gov scenario

BLOGISTA
By Cha Monforte

It’s likely that the national opposition will have again a split with the reported plan of Erap to run for President in tandem with Senator Loren Legarda for Vice President. If Erap does,  Senator Manny Villar and Senator Roxas will most likely do the same, being also today’s front-running presidential bets from the opposition.  Just like Davao del Norte Boardmember Roger “Dangpanan” Israel and Comval Vice Gov. Ramil Gentugaya, “it’s now or never” for them not to vie for President (for congressman for Dangpanan and Ramil).

Local politicians know well that if three or more parties tangle in elections in the national level, provincial and municipal levels take similar if not the same political transfigurations. Lakas party in Comval despite its much-ballyhoed unity as far as its drum-beaters are concerned is still standing on so fragile grounds with the still unsettled Ramil-Maricar row over the standard-bearer issue for the post that last-termer Cong, Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora is finishing at present. Meantime, January is fast approaching when the Lakas-Comval honchos will announce who should be the choice between Way Kurat’s daughter Maricar and Ramil, son of known big businesswoman in Comval mainland.

With this potential opposition configuration of having at least 2 opposition wings against 1 Lakas candidate, there’s that earlier report that the province’s potential gubernatorial bets would be three- reelectionist incumbent Gov. Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy, Cong. Way Kurat and former Gov. Jose “Joecab” Caballero.

The report said that Cong. Way Kurat, for being a tested administration ally when he delivered over 13,000 votes’ margin to President Arroyo over Fernando Poe in his home district in 2004 polls and voted hell and water to contribute in killing the impeachment bids of the opposition could potentially get the Palace backing if he decides to run for governor. It said that when it comes to the protecting the Palace’s national interests, the GMA’s advisers would go for a tested ally who could deliver and secure the votes for the administration candidates. But that’s also if Ramil, a kin by the Chinese blood of the governor, gets the choice as standard-bearer for the Lakas District 1 congressional post. Naughty pundits now say that in that scenario it’s Way Kurat who’ll break the so-called Lakas unity.

We don’t wish for that to happen as it would open a floodgate for Joecab to run for governor. That’s self-explanatory: when Lakas political gods and fans are divided, Joecab might win.
Although really a three-corner gubernatorial fight is worth watching and most exciting given that Uy has logistical and administration advantages, Cong. Way Kurat is a most popular Comval politician now and gimmick-savvy, while Joecab is still a maverick, charismatic politician, this scenario is not likely to happen in the event that Cong Way Kurat will make true his earlier political gambit – of retiring from politics to concentrate as the Lakas provincial campaign manager. Well, there seems to be that Big If- that is if Maricar gets January’s choice of becoming the Lakas congressional standard-bearer. In this scenario, provincial elder-statesman Pros Amatong will most probably gravitate towards Cong. Way Kurat for governor, pundits say.

Meantime, the regional Lakas boss Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, one tested Lakas partyman and Malacanang’s player, would also gravitate towards a Way Kurat gubernatorial candidacy if the home scene in Tagum City is spoiled on the scenario that City Mayor Rey Uy, the governor’s brother, has something in his cards for the good of his own city turf that won’t jibe with the cards of Gov. RDR.

Again, we don’t wish for this to happen as it’s easy for Lakas-Kampi local bets to win under a unified ticket, that is if a strong local opposition will not emerge from the boondocks out from the splintering of the national opposition. But this would never happen as there are really local opposition contenders, chief among them are the Lakas shoved-outs, jumpshippers and Kampi out campers who would have at least two opposition parties waiting for their ride. When people rue for victory of national opposition bets in 2010 egged out by the corruption scandals under the Arroyo administration, gee, there’s still that exciting political scenario in Davao del Norte and Comval by 2010. And we’re only 9 days to go before the electoral year 2009 sets in.

Happy Holidays! (For online edition, visit my blog at: https://cha4t.wordpress.com, for comments and reactions, e-mail: chamonforte@yahoo.com)

OPINION: Way K’s realpolitik

BLOGISTA
By Cha Monforte

There are now signs and the inevitable came out: it was no other than Boardmember Maricar Zamora-Apsay held at bay by a mix of persons in the media to talk about politics last Sunday amid the ongoing 58th birthday celebration of his father, Cong. Way Kurat at their known Octagon farm park in Monkayo.

“The equity of the incumbent applies only to the reelectionists of the same position,” she said in answering the earlier postulation that Vice Gov. Ramil Gentugaya is most senior among Lakas partymen to claim for the coveted title of becoming the administration standard bearer for the District 1 congressional post by 2010.

There were no ifs, nor buts for the BM Maricar on this issue. The post that sooner his father would be leaving is really an open one, vouched even by an earlier opinion of Lakas-CMD regional president, Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario.

So it’s the party that would really decide who from the front-running congressional wannabes- BM Maricar and VG Ramil would be picked up. There seems no more District 1 bidders for the post. Lito Brillantes, for one, is outsider, not incumbent. As of this writing, Monkayo Mayor Manuel Brillantes, then with Liberal party (Atienza wing) is smoking a peace pipe with Way Kurat and Lakas-CMD when he took oath as a party member two weeks ago.

We heard from buzz that VG Ramil has stockpiled financial logistics when he became a married man last Oct 18. “If it’s Maricar, he (Ramil) would either stay or go out from the party,” said Cong. Way Kurat in an imprompto presscon amid his birthday bash. “But if it’s Ramil… ah we will not talk about it as it will never happen anyway,” he added as he turned quizzical.

We’ve learned also that BM Maricar appears to be already groomed as the Lakas-CMD national directorate’s pick. She just joined in the Tagbilaran leadership training, all at the national party’s expense. There, BM Maricar along with 40 other Lakas-CMD potential standard bearers were accordingly trained on “how to’s” rudiments including how to win in the coming polls. By the end of this month, she’ll again join in another Lakas-CMD leadership training for women party leaders sponsored by the Lakas-CMD national directorate.

We’ve also learned that Cong. Way Kurat was just testing who his loyalists really are when he floated he would be running as Compostela mayor. “Atik ra to,” he announced before over a thousand of birthday well-wishers.

He said he is due to retire from politics two years from now to be the Lakas-CMD campaign manager, as Gob. Uy listened intently. In the presscon, he said he don’t want also to suffer the same fate of Caballeros and Palma Gils in Davao Oriental, who were all defeated for running simultaneously in two top positions. Well, we knew of ex-Gob. Joecab and ex-BM Kris.

Meantime, Konsehal Dolfo Ang of Compostela enthused that the election is still far and “many things would still happen”, when referred of the no Way Kurat for mayor scenario in his town. Ang was reported to be vying for mayoral post. But he just don’t believe yet of the scenario.

With these, we see that Way Kurat’s plan of becoming a Lakas-CMD campaign manager in the province is one big enigma. While it’s one caveat for ensure Maricar’s pick (for who else could not vote against a scene-stealing and stage-propa veteran politician becoming the admin campaign manager?), a realpolitik act, but the spectacle of seeing Way K become a plain citizen again after the May 2010 elections doesn’t sit well among his loyalists. Maybe he’ll also take a crack for the vice gubernatorial post, and bargain for it, too, or the much-touted Comval unity will come crashing down in smithereens. (For online edition, visit my blog at: https://cha4t.wordpress.com, for comments and reactions, e-mail: chamonforte@yahoo.com, or ruralurbanews@yahoo.com)

NEWS: Silence on for Maricar-Ramil for Congress tiff for now til January

nov 10

Silence would be observed for now by both camps of Compostela Valley Vice Gov. Ramil Gentugaya and Boardmember Maricar Zamora-Apsay on who of them is rightful to be standard-bearer for fielding by the unified Lakas-CMD party- but only until January.

In a report carried by a daily in Davao City, Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy said both of the congressional wannabes who earlier both declared to be running for the congressional post in the first district have agreed to abide with a party decision on who to field for the post.

The governor said that the Lakas-CMD party will make a formal announcement of its decision in January.

Also, a source close to Lakas-CMD provincial leaders said that both agreed not to talk to the media on the issue “so that energies would not be wasted by anyone of them.”.

The source said that the party will hold a caucus by December especially to resolve it and strike consensus and agreement so as not to divide the party in the first district.

Earlier, last-termer Cong. Manuel  “Way Kurat” Zamora said that he would be sticking to the agreement on July 1, 2007 forged by him, daughter Maricar, Uy and Gentugaya for Maricar vie for the congressional post while Ramil would seek for reelection in his current post by 2010.

The suggestion that in order for the party not to be divided in the first district Maricar would instead take the vice gubernatorial bid while Cong. Way Kurat take the mayoral bid in Compostela town was earlier thumbed down by the congressman, saying that the said agrement was already “a solution that has been there.”

Meanwhile, Boardmember Moran Takasan in an interview said that the second district runs smoothly without political quivering thus far as Cong. Rommel Amatong is not facing a challenger at this early from within the party.

Earlier, former Gov. Jose “Joecab” Caballero said that he would still be running “either-or” meaning either for a return bout for the congressional post or for gubernatorial bid. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com

OPINION: Short draft memoirs: Joecab at his loneliest

BLOGISTA
BY Cha Monforte

It was the day after. Jose “Joecab” Caballero was finally defeated- confirmed by humiliating election results. He was then called as phenom- for slaying big political dragons- long-reigning old Davnor politician Gregorio Dujali and he became a vice gov in the then big beautiful undivided country of Davao del Norte; next the Sarmientos- then known as an institution, first the matriarch Dona Luz, then he became the first Comval gov after Comval was separated from Davnor in 1998; next the son politico-economic heir Roger “RMS” in the 2001 gubernatorial toss up, then Joecab got his second term and went straight getting his last term without a hitch knocking off a token candidate suspected to have run for a proxy war within the unified Lakas ticket in 2004.

But for the so much heck of his organized sectors including the kabirs on dispersal binge Joecab’s camp was so much enthralled and so his formidable opposition camp was also so much enthralled of his nine-year rule characterized by a patronage-driven populist programs. They both seemed put in so overblown expectations that on one hand, Joecab got the province’s District 2 for his own congressional bid and put her daughter then Boardmember Kristine for the gubernatorial bid, while on the other hand, the unified opposition ruing against him had all but made an overkill in plugging all holes in skittish electoral campaign against Joecab’s political machinery and logistics which turned out to be only made of so much hoopla and pretensions. Joecab the phenom was overwhelmingly defeated already in the night of May 14, 2007 election day when the first rush of low turn out of votes for him and Kristine started trickling in to his Dragon headquarters. I heard that in the dead of that night his headquarters was already deserted by his lawyers, loyal followers, so-called strategists, so-called planners, so-called propagandists. I was not in the inner circle of them.

In the early morning of May 15, 2007, at around 6:00 A.M. I and Rey Castardo, also an info man, visited Dragon, and there we saw a gloomy pall of light iinside. Joecab had apparently no sleep, also with Kristine and Madam Mimi. Except for Anamei’s pretty, red-eyed PGO ladies who were sipping San Mig light beer perhaps for a drowse or juices in cans, there were already no Rey Pajarito and lots of political CAOs upstairs of Dragon, that building by the church which became the base in erecting the foundations of the Comval provincial government. There were few CAOs downstairs, but reports said the CAOs failed to deliver the goods for the liners while some of them allegedly stashed it for themselves kept pestering as gripes in the rounds. Accordingly, one had already taken an early vacation, while another one had bought a brand new motorcycle. Joecab had as mouthful on dirty politics and massive vote buying.

Seeing our presence supposed meant to troop around to empathize and give our last salute to the man who recruited us in the first place, he directed me to write a PR for ABS-CBN and the Inquirer. I hurried to write a piece from his dictates. When it was made, as usual he made corrections carefully choosing words not as a politician but more as a lawyer. Almost the journalistic PR was mangled by his own legalese words. I couldn’t do otherwise but finalized it, still fine-tuning it within journalese acceptability. And the usual of him as one abante-atras PR chief dawned again on him. He kept the PR close to his chest, reflecting. He was beaten to the draw in post-election news as a sore loser.  The final PR was never faxed to news outlets. Towards the midday when Dragon was at its loneliest, I and Rey Castardo called it quits. We hit the road for home gutom. The End.

Last month at the height of the issue on ZTE deal on Diwalwal, I got a chance to see Joecab, the citizen, for the first time at his Panorama home after that gloomy day for an interview on the issue. He said he has already secured peace as plain citizen and stopped counting his political wounds. “I enjoy being a fulltime father now,” he said adding that for nine years he had been always with the people of Comval. But Joecab even berated me in dragging him to the issue, that he would be summoned (not in legalese usage) in an SP probe-inquiry, and even questioned who am I writing for now. It was just like Cong. Way Kurat last Tuesday for suspecting me to be still loyal to one-way PR conscious Joecab. But by that I got the opportunity to level off with Cong. Way K. For all and sundry, I’m back to fulltime media works after a long interregnum. Chief government propagandists who have been used and out of delicadeza and deference must also bow down to the new power holders and not cling to positions even protected by the CSC.

We were with the defunct Northern Star in the days of the cut-and-paste newspaper layouting, covering Mankilam to as far as the interior Sto. Tomas, Pantukan. Laak, New Bataan and up Diwalwal. Also, the good thing in the media now, Press Sec. Jess Dureza, is that the Internet and cellphone spell a difference in getting and sending facts and news at least expense compared to the past ever-peripatetic days. It’s different now in the media, you can now live by and with it but a story is always made for the love of writing and of the profession, said publisher Bert Gorgonio last April when rice prices skyrocketed. “Gwapo ni kay wa tay mga amo,” he added. But the blood of a writer runs deep in me just like Bert, who also had a stint working in Surigao government. Objectivity and fairness in journalism has always been our constant guide. At the end of the day, it will always be our readers who will judge and sustain us. When we err just like any human, we are humbled by your notice of correction or side as we take your right to reply as sacrosanct to a working press. We just always try and strive to be your real press. (For online edition, visit my blog at: https://cha4t.wordpress.com, e-mail: ruralurbanews@yahoo.com or chamonforte@yahoo.com)

NEWS: Comval SP set to summon Joecab, others on ZTE’s mining rights over Diwalwal

Joecab says not him but Way Kurat

Chiongkee welcomes SP probe

ZTE wants to develop Diwalwal as “new Shenzhen City in the Philippines”

sept 12

The Compostela Valley Sangguniang Panlalawigan will summon former Governor Jose Caballero and involved national government officials to shed light in its own legislative inquiry in the wake of reports that the controversial Chinese firm ZTE Corp has been awarded of $1-billion mining rights in Diwalwal.

Acting on the privilege speeches Boardmembers Dexter Lopoz and Neri Barte in yesterday’s session, the provincial board moved to conduct an inquiry to know of the real score of the reported ZTE’s award of mining rights by Malacanang to Diwalwal.

The SP is accordingly apprehensive it could trigger anew instability in the mining area coming from the ranks of the miners who might fear dislocation if the report is not clarified.

The province’s SP entasked its environment committee chaired by Boardmember Moran Takasan to send letters to Caballero, Trade Secretary Peter Favila, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza and former Environment Secretary Mike Defensor, who all accordingly knew of the ZTE’s deal in Diwalwal.

Asked for his comment, former Gov. Caballero denied he knew of the ZTE’s deal in Diwalwal and that he met with ZTE’s top officials who accordingly accompanied President Arroyo when she visited Compostela town last July 8, 2006.

He instead said that the SP should better summon 1^st District Cong. Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora as it was him who was visited by the President and in his legislative office in Compostela where the President announced the news that she was bringing with her ZTE officials interested to invest in mining in the province.

Caballero, then the Kampi provincial chairman, said that he was not in the first place invited by Zamora and other Lakas officials in the province in that presidential visit when Caballero was still the governor.

He said though he would listen for more news about the ZTE’s mining deal saying that he only knew all about it since then in the news.

Asked for his comment, Gov. Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy in text message said that he welcomes the SP’s move to probe on ZTE Corp.

The provincial board was tipped off last week in a privilege speech of Boardmember Lopoz about the mining rights given to ZTE Corp. over Diwalwal when the a recent editorial of Philippine Star made mention of the firm’s award of mining rights over Diwalwal by Malacanang.

But the other day, Malacañang already responded to the news that dragged again the ZTE Corp saying that it is still open to doing business with the firm and its subsidiaries despite the political storm created by the $329-million NBN contract signed by the government with ZTE Corp.

President Arroyo was forced to cancel the NBN contract after the disclosure of alleged bribery and overpricing in the deal.

As this developed,  an unimpeachable source said that contrary to Malacanang statement, technical people belonging to the ZTE Corp. had already made even underground exploration in Diwalwal and had visited North Davao in Maco town close to the days after the visit of the President, unimpeachable source told Sidlak recently.

The Chinese-speaking technical men went down to see for themselves underground veins in Diwalwal and stayed there for hours bringing only Jollibee lunchpacks for their meals, source added.

The source added that he was even astounded that when the group of technical men visited Diwalwal they had already a grand master plan of developing Diwalwal as the “new Shenzhen City in the Philippines”.

Shenzhen City, established in 1980, is China’s first economic special zone, which successfully developed its economy without damaging the environment. Todate, it has modern cityscape as a result of the vibrant economy made possible by rapid foreign investment since the late 1970s, when it was but a small fishing village.

But the source said that he was also surprised that when they toured over the North Davao area at Masara using a military chopper a member of ZTE’s technical men borrowed a soldier’s M203 grenade launcher and fired a shot down to a hill at Masara area to the laughter of the rest of the team.

Lawyer Harry Roque disclosed the other day that he plans to file graft charges against Trade Secretary Favila with the Office of the Ombudsman for awarding a $1-billion mining contract to Chinese firm ZTE Corp., which was involved in the canceled national broadband network (NBN) deal with the government.

Roque said the government, represented by Favila, violated the Constitution when it signed the memorandum of understanding with ZTE International Investments Ltd., the investment arm of ZTE Corp., allowing the company to explore, develop and operate mining sites in the Mt. Diwalwal gold mining site in Monkayo, Compostela Valley.

The administration allowed ZTE to explore some 8,000 hectares of Mt. Diwalwal.

Roque said the agreement was entered into with special authority from President Arroyo.

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, however, said there is no record in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources that the MOU has been implemented.

Atienza criticized Roque for attempting to “provoke” small-scale miners in Mt. Diwalwal, who would supposedly be affected by the ZTE operations in the gold mining site.

“There is no reason for them (small-scale miners) to be worried or bothered. Mr. Roque should not do that, provoke the small-scale miners there,” he noted.

When asked if ZTE Corp. applied for mining permits to implement the MOU, Atienza expressed uncertainty that such application could still come through, citing the government’s existing plan for Mt. Diwalwal.

According to Roque, the MOU, which was signed on July 12, 2006, practically awarded “mining rights” to ZTE Corp. for the 8,000 hectares of mineral reserve in Mt. Diwalwal.

Roque added that the Philippine government also awarded similar “mining rights” to ZTE Corp. in another mining area in North Davao. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com