Matuwid na daan’s bias

MANILA Vice Mayor Isko Moreno and five councilors were caught during a raid of an illegal bingo game. Though they were released for lack of evidence, they would have never been raided had they been with the Liberal Party (LP). We don’t have to look far looking for proof. The Bando Osmena-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) had been conducting bingo socials since last year. They even posted their pictures along with the Bingo streamers in Facebook. But had they been ever raided?

Anol Mongaya

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The Office of the President likewise unceremoniously removed Gov. Gwen Garcia last December from the Capitol for some administrative case. But had they moved against a BOPK-LP candidate who brazenly used a City Hall scholarship program to benefit his school?

Well, there is this half-cooked decision on the case of BOPK and the LP’s Councilor Jun Pe. While all the while we were talking about the councilor arrogantly trying to circumvent the law in front of our own eyes, the Comelec completely ignores this point in their so-called decision. As I said in my Superbalita column yesterday, “Padugang sa pusta.”

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I earlier had doubts whether the decision of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) to hold its proclamation rally in Cebu City was politically correct. A huge chunk of Cebu City residents believe Governor Garcia was guilty and should have stepped down right away. Her supporters, those who believe in her, are from the province.

However, I changed my mind after seeing the sea of UNA supporters that converged at the Plaza Independencia last Feb. 12.

The P-Noy administration allies resorted to blocking the vehicles bringing rally participants. But the point had been made. UNA mobilized what seemed to be the biggest political mobilization in Cebu City in years.

This display of political muscle showed to all that Team Rama and One Cebu are not spent forces. Despite the blows dealt by the administration, the UNA forces in Cebu are ironically gaining ground.
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Some reporters who covered the UNA proclamation rally were disappointed by UNA media handlers when it because obvious (and “garapal”) that they favor reporters from national media outlets. These handlers should be conscious that their principals said the decision to hold their proclamation rally in Cebu demonstrated their recognition of Cebuanos.

Kudos to JV Ejercito. He was the only one who took the time to attend and connect with Cebuanos at the 888 Forum. He also went out of his way to pay a visit to Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.

Sitting beside UP Professor Phoebe Zoe Sanchez, who filed a complaint regarding the Cebu City Scholarship Program partnering with schools with no Paascu accreditation, JV Ejercito said education is one of his legislative priorities.

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Still, we cannot dismiss the BOPK and the provincial LPs in their fight. In Cebu City, I have already mentioned the flawed Comelec decision on the case against Councilor Pe.

The Office of the President also seems to be dragging its feet regarding the “conflict of interest” case against Councilor Abellanosa. I get the sense that being a Liberal in 2013 is weightier than having been instrumental in the Noynoy Aquino for President Movement in 2010.

Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale is already holding fort as the effective power at the Capitol building.

Tuburan Mayor Aljun Diamante, meanwhile, continues to enjoy immense political strength as his opponents fire duds at the Office of the Ombudsman. He looked unfazed as he met yesterday with the town’s youth leaders, confident in his performance that his town mates recognize.

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I was surprised reading LP senatorial candidate Bam Aquino’s response to the legislative agenda on housing presented by Cebu City urban poor leaders the other day.

He said he will study the matter further before signing. This contrasted with the Urban Poor Summit attended by the same leaders with then Abante Barangay’s Totol Batuhan last year. Batuhan readily signed the covenant that was witnessed by the LP’s ally Akbayan.

In fairness to Bam, Batuhan spent months of weekly consultations with the urban poor leaders at the Pagtambayayong office that culminated in the Urban Poor Summit and covenant signing.

The young Aquino should know that Cebu City’s urban poor is an active political force that became instrumental in the election of two BOPK councilors in 2010. Akbayan’s Councilor Alvin Dizon continues to enjoy the support of this active sector.

I am under the impression that although identified with the BOPK and the LP, the UP ALL and Akbayan are not committed to automatically vote straight. They don’t decide based on a cabo’s command. They weigh and assess a candidate’s legislative agenda before deciding on whom to vote, being advocates of New Politics.

(politika2013.wordpress.com)