Delos Santos: Still with Cano

(2nd column)

WE GO back to the question raised in our previous column: Why do MOCA and BINGCA voters not vote for Novero or Golez, to the extent that if there were no Cano Tan, they would rather not vote for congressman at all?

In the case of BINGCA, because they do not know Golez at all. Except for his stint in the BAHA controversy, Golez is a total stranger to the Bacolod electorate. Of course, they know now that he is from Pontevedra, that he is a doctor, that he was Malacañang's deputy spokesman, and more to the point, that he is married to a Moro princess.

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Still, the primary question about Golez is: What has he really done for Bacolod's teeming thousands, especially those whose living conditions categorize them as the "wretched of the earth?"

Of course, it is unfair to judge Golez by this standard. After all, he is new to Bacolod and could not be expected to have done wonders in the very short time he had been with us.

But this is precisely the point. He has been with us only yesterday. He does not know us in the same way that we do not know him. He maybe God's gift to us, but how would we know? Jesus Christ himself had to beat uncharted paths in the beaches of Galilee and Judea before they welcomed Him as the Messiah. Even then, they rejected Him at the last moment.

So shouldn't have Golez started as barangay captain, or even just a kagawad of Barangay Banago, where Sta. Clara, his place of residence belongs? Shouldn't he have run for councilor first for us to see the kind of public servant he is?

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As for Novero, the problem is that we know him too well. Councilor for several terms, vice mayor, candidate for mayor, candidate for congressman, and now for congressman again. In fact, Novero had been with us far too long. And for these ages paid for by the city coffers, what has he really done? What brilliant piece of legislation has he authored aside from that traffic monitoring project where his father's driver was employed as one of the monitors?

And for lawyering for Sammy Palanca?

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The Bacolod voter has a history of voting crossover. Thus, while Mayor Romeo Guanzon won in 1967, his vice mayor lost to former vice mayor Inocencio Lucasan. When Leonardia himself in 2001, his vice mayor lost to former vice mayor Chick Garcia. This explains why Leonardia's and Puentevella's partners for Congress, Anthony Golez and Renecito Novero, are lagging far behind frontrunner Cano Tan.

Golez and Novero should not begrudge of their mayoralty partners if they would accept the support of groups such as BINGCA and MOCA. In fact, Monico and Bing should encourage such support. The fight for the mayorship is too close to call and both Bing and Monico need all the support they can get. It would be foolish, even sheer madness for them reject such support simply because it would not carry their congressional partners.

Novero's problem is that most of these crossovers belong to Monico's supporters. But there is nothing he can do about it, as they would rather support Cano Tan than Novero. What he should do is try to draw into his campaign Leonardia's voters. If he succeeds in weaning them away from Golez that might somehow compensate him for the Monico voters he has lost to Cano Tan. His problem is that most Leonardia's voters who do not go along with Leonardia's choice of a congressional partner would rather go for Cano Tan, hence the BINGCA groups.

Although somehow, Novero had succeeded in drawing into his camp some of Leonardia's supporters which explains why there is a BINGNO, although this is minuscule compared to BINGCA and MOCA.

Barangay 8 Captain Mylene Dewara is one such BINGNO leader. A number of her relative are employed by Leonardia as casuals. I was told she had pledged to Monico lately, but with this number of relatives at City Hall, I am surprised how Monico can believe her. Then there is Pahanocoy kagawad Tata Barayoga, whose wife, I was told, is likewise employed at City Hall. Barangay 26 Captain Arroz is another Bing Leonardia diehard who is supporting Novero instead of Golez. I understand that the Novero camp is courting another Bing diehard, Taculing Barangay Captain Diamante. Novero won big in Taculing against Puentevella the last time and if that political relationship still holds, Diamante would be another BINGNO.

Hence, Novero's camp has no reason to complain about MOCA. What is sauce for the gander should also be sauce for the goose. (More in our next column)