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Saturday, May 17, 2003
Espinoza: Surigao del Sur politics
By Elias L. Espinoza
EARLY. I just returned yesterday from a two-day sojourn to my hometown, Cagwait, Surigao del Sur, to attend the town’s fiesta and somehow avoid the summer heat in the met-ropolis.
On my way to the Tandag airport yesterday morning on board my cousin’s van, I asked the driver to turn on the radio. We chanced upon a radio commentary program. Believe it or not, the commentator was already talking about next year’s polls.
The commentator, who was discussing political issues, was apparently a supporter of Surigao del Sur Gov. Bebe T. Pimentel and Vice Governor Navarro.
My driver, who was a supporter of the former governor, just chuckled in disbelief with the way the commentator lambasted his pick. What the commentator didn’t realize was that he inadvertenly promoted his boss’ opponents.
Cebu politicians, who are supposed to be ahead of the rest when it comes to politics, are still quiet about their political lineup for next year’s polls.
However, Surigao del Sur, which is an almost forgotten province, is already raring to go.
From the information I gathered, the provincial slate for the administration and the opposition has already been drawn up. What makes it absurd, though, is that relatives of a big clan in Tandag are opposing each other.
The incumbent Tandag town mayor, Abet T. Delgado, who is a last termer and first degree cousin of the governor, is running for Congress against incumbent Rep. Butch Pichay, who is aligned with Governor Pimentel.
Of course, it is not new under our election practices that clan members find themselves on opposing camps. What makes the opposition party lineup look suspicious is that they don’t have a gubernatorial bet. The opposition is probably out to unseat Congressman Pichay.
Sources say that despite Governor Pimentel’s assurance to support Congressman Pichay, the latter is giving it the benefit of doubt. You know blood is always thicker than water.
This is only a taste of what politics is all about in this country and to a far-flung province like Surigao del Sur. I don’t know how it is like in provinces where political kingpins rule.
Surigao del Sur’s weather, though, is better. It rains at night and the day is fair.
HOT. Here in Cebu, the weather is still hot just like what probably Oslob Mayor Emelito Abines is feeling now after a municipal employee sued him for allegedly assaulting and sexually molesting her.
It seems that trouble besetting the Abineses never ends. While the mayor is entitled to the presumption of innocence, his justification of what happened to Helen Ronulo was simply unbelievable, if not funny.
On the other hand, what does Ronulo, daughter of Municipal Councilor Vene-rando Ronulo, gain by falsely accusing the town mayor, who is not only the town’s chief executive but also a person in authority?
There are more adverse talks against the town mayor than the case of the hardly known municipal employee. Apparently, the odds are against the town mayor. Not many people will believe what he says. That’s life, mayor!
(May 17, 2003 issue)
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