The political season is here

By Ermin Garcia Jr.

‘Tis the time for political pundits to finally shine and sound important after two years of incubation. For too long, they have been chewing on their political scenarios that they now either have to swallow or choke on their fearless forecasts if they can’t make their views influence others.

      So to give due importance to them, allow me to echo what they have been trying to say the past 12 months.

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       For the governorship, Vice Gov. Oca Lambino appears still to be the man to beat but the threat of his tucayo Archbishop Oscar Cruz to campaign actively against those who did not lift a finger to fight jueteng in the province can cut his clout considerably. But then again, they say the dilemma of the good archbishop is there are no candidates that have not fostered jueteng except perhaps for Mrs. Rose Agbayani whose husband Gov. Vic has stood steadfast against jueteng. So, Mrs. Agbayani can be expected to earn the support of the religious sector.

       Cong. Amado Espino may have declared his intention to give the Vice guv a run for his money, but many concede he needs to cover a lot of grounds to make his name an easier recall.

      Will the Estrellas still aim to regain past glory in the province? The name Estrella, they say still has its magic but many doubt if the support of the patriarch Condring is transferable at this stage.

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      The star-studded arena is in the congressional fight in the third district. Between Rachel Arenas, retired police general Rey Velasco, Mayor Leocadio de Vera Jr., Jun Tulagan and Galant Soriano, nobody appears to be a runaway winner.

      But the pundits agree on one thing:  expect heavy vote-buying in the district. As things stand today, all five prospective candidates have begun launching their own respective community projects in a bid to start a name recall. Leading in that that effort are Rachel and Gen. Velasco.

      So Pangasinenses in the district are now the chosen lot!

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      In the fourth district, many continue to fantasize the mother of all political battles.

      Mayor Benjie Lim’s continued war dance chanting Speaker Joe de V’s name is still fanning that fantasy. But those who claim to know the two would-be political combatants believe that all that sound and fury will end as a fantasy.

       Mr. Benjie is still the practical businessman who’d rather spend and invest in a sure-win situation and would not risk losing a hefty sum just to prove a point. What he would likely do is to put his inherent strength in the city to good use, by seeking his reelection and spend much less.

      So, what’s all the mayor’s brave talk all about? They say it’s really a fund-raising gambit for the businessman-politician, expecting to be bought out by his “arch-prospective foe” who is also known not to have qualms about buying out any and all candidates who may get in his way of being a unanimous winner. (How many times have we heard “candidates” being “won over” by the Speaker?).

      However, Mr. Benjie’s reelection bid may not be a walk-in-the-park this time. Immigrations Commissioner and former mayor Al Fernandez is already reported too tired of seeing his son Alvin being treated like a doormat by Mr. Benjie.

      Comm. Al has begun sounding off his phalanx of supporters to prepare to do battle either for him or for Vice Mayor Alvin.

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      THE SIAPNOS’ CONTINUED SILENCE. The plot in the highly irregular build-operate-transfer project in the Magsaysay Park thickens.

     The Siapno cousins of the Metrostate Realty Corporation, the rumored “dummies” for the project, have decided to zip their mouths all the way. Nagkasubuan na daw!

      But if they think their silence will do the trick, they have another thing coming to them. A formal investigation by the courts will eventually compel them to blurt out the truth. And sadly, by lending themselves to the conspiracy in the city hall, they are now risking the family’s reputation and standing in the community.

      I’d certainly hate to see the day when the family rues the day they decided to be a “dummy” to a worthless project all because vested interests of some politicos have to be served. Sayang!

***

      THE MAYOR’S UNKIND BOAST. Adding to the list of curious events that accompanied the bidding process and the designation of Metrostate Realty as the winning bidder, was chief onor-onor Teofilo Gaudiz III’s surprise 180 degree turnaround on the issue after waxing sentimental about the Guadiz family’s attachment to the Magsaysay Park. He appeared to be a new and reformed public servant, questioning the bidding process early on only to hear him justify and defend the claims of City Administrator Raffy Baraan and City Legal Officer Geraldine Baniqued for Mayor Benjie’s latest “pet project” against all odds in his committee report to the city council.

      Most everyone was surprised by this turnaround but I wasn’t for I knew there was always a variable to be considered in his case. I was told about the P10 million that cheered up those who toed the line but an even more disturbing bit of news going around city hall is the city mayor’s unkind boast to many that the chief onor-onor’s “support” was clinched after Onor-Onor Guadiz was assured that his mother would be awarded the much-coveted director’s seat in the Dagupan City Water District over other qualified candidates. 

      I would be the last to begrudge the appointment of matriarch Guadiz who deserves the gratitude of the city but it certainly boggles my mind that her own son, family and relatives did not resist the ploy to use her situation as a political pawn to blackmail the city.    

      What’s happening to us? Isn’t family integrity and dignity important anymore?  

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/punchline/)

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