THE barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections are over but the wounds that were inflicted on some defeated candidates because of the political maneuvering and black propaganda of politicians are not yet healed. Those candidates cannot just accept their defeat with humility.
Days before the elections last May 14, the “former political has-been” admitted ordering the printing of flyers intended to malign candidates for barangay captain who were identified with the opposition. Many barangay captains seeking reelection failed to submit a liquidation report of the millions of pesos in financial assistance given during the term of “has-been” mayor Michael Rama.
He blatantly accused those barangay captains of committing graft because they failed to submit the report. To give his action a semblance of legitimacy, he also filed administrative and criminal complaints against them before the Office of the Ombudsman for the Visayas.
He based his action on the Commission on Audit (COA) report on the matter. But the truth is almost all barangay captains whom he accused of corruption had already submitted their report. COA even said recently that it was an old audit report. Besides, the barangays have documents showing the liquidation report.
In short, it was his crazy idea to malign the opposition barangay captains. He succeeded because many voters believed in his propaganda and many of the barangay captains he targeted lost in the elections. That is aside from the money poured to buy votes.
But wasn’t his act libelous? Why won’t those barangay captains unite and file libel charges against him? I am just floating the idea.
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The allegations of opposition Councilor Renato “Junjun” Osmeña that the “former political has been” berated him when they met at a hotel lobby over the weekend is no longer surprising. Reports said that the latter lashed at Junjun, calling him a “disgrace to the Osmeña family and to the Cebuanos because he voted against the joint venture agreement offered by the Gokongweis to the Cebu City government.
Actually, many people have experienced the same treatment from him. You ask former DOTC undersecretary Bert Emphasis, former City Hall protocol officer Rudy Villalobos, Sudlon 2 barangay captain Jessie Jayme and former city councilor Gabby Leyson. They were all victims of the arrogance of the “former political has-been.”
Leyson took care of him when he arrived from the United States with his family before he was elected as mayor. He was nothing then. Imagine, Gabby went to Tanjay City in Negros Oriental to attend the wedding of Miguel, the son of the “former political has been.” Leyson was not invited by him but he was invited by the parents of the bride who are also his relatives.
Upon seeing Leyson in the affair, the “former political has-been” confronted him by asking, “Why are you here?” Tan-awa ra’g unsa ka yabag. Walay utang kabubut-on.
Ang batasan anang tawhana dili makaon og iro. Nagtuo na gyud siya nga siya nay pinaka-bright nga tawo sa kalibutan ug ang iyang pagtan-aw sa uban mga saop ug ulipon ra niya. Puwera gaba.