Playing with Fire
Candilakos and Candilokos
By Gonzalo Duque
THE cat is out of the bag!
After all, the guys (and a few gals) you had smelled as using the election season as the best opportunity to make a few bucks, some to the tune of millions, have been unmasked. Aha, we gotcha!
No, they should not earn our ire; fact is, they should be given a salute for their gall and deft hands in undertaking a cheap racket and getting away with it.
So much for these candilakos and candilokos.
Let’s now deal with the real McCoys.
As expected, the two main protagonists in the gubernatorial contest in our vote-richest province are reelectionist Governor Amado “Spines” Espino Jr., and comebacking former Governor Victor Agbayani. A certain Velasco (not Jun or Butch) and still a fourth one whose name escaped us at the moment, are also running, according to Comelec records.
For vice governor, they are Ferdie Calimlim and another comebacking Oscar Lambino.
A great tandem. Parehong gwapo. Medyo solid yay sakey, but it doesn’t mean that he is already a sure winner!
Medyo balansiado, and we can’t tell who has the edge at this time. But we will keep you informed. Some pundits associate Spines as the performing governor, while Victor as the charmer. Huwag naman, may accomplishments naman si Agbayani e. But he really is a great charmer. But how do you account for this? Spines trounced Victor in a mock election in a local university two weeks back!
The 4th congressional district fight is most interesting, as it pits two ladies, First Ladies of Congressman Joe de Venecia and former Congressman Benjie Lim.
They are Manay Gina de Venecia and Manang Celia Lim. Matindi ya, agagui!
Sino kaya ang nakakalamang? Of course, Manay Gina will cite Manong Joe’s solid accomplishments, but Manang Celia will probably tell the voters, “ciopay tunay ya taga Pangasinan; pansalita yo kami ed Pangasinan!” Inatey so angabil!
For his part, our cumpadre Benjie Lim will fight his pet peeve, Mayor Al Fernandez. Ay, anac na… mas matindi ya, mga agagui, awa!”
Battle royale, manimis lay Atong, ondelap na cuarta ed kwarto distrito! Mantalaran kayod kaabongan yo, agagui, insan yoak iblowout!
That’s Philippine politics for you and me. Things being equal, may the best spender win!
* * * *
On the last day of filing at the Comelec, December l, General Jun Esperon, congressional bet in the 6th district, sort of staged a take-over of the Comelec grounds, taking along with him all his mayoral bets and other candidates turning the affair into a media forum.
Earlier, Mother and daughter Alice and Maki Pulido, accompanied by their activist hubby and erpat Mayor Nestor Pulido, turned the Comelec into a picnic, giving a lunch blowout to some 60 or so media people who were around to snoop at the latest filers.
It was fiesta galore at the Comelec!
Masaya yay eleksyon! But behind the fun and frolic is a gathering storm that is about to descend upon our beleaguered land!
The economy is in tatters! The Maguindanao problem is a big slap on our country as a safe and peaceful domain.
Our view is let’s quickly put an end to the intriguing exercise and work hard to restore peaceful and normal life in the country.
How? This should be a challenge to all of us… especially the so-called public servants.
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