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Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Carvajal: What is Councilor Leyson up to?
By Orlando P. Carvajal
Nowadays, it is plainly evident to the electorate that a good majority of those who run for office are really running for the power, prestige and wealth that come with the position. But there was a time when public office was synonymous with public service and candidates were presumed to be motivated by a desire to serve even if a few proved the contrary by using the office to just enrich themselves.
This presumption remains for residents who run for public office in their communities. If you have been a long-time resident and part of the community your fellow community members do not find any difficulty presuming that somehow you will want to do good by them.
But what happens if you are from somewhere else and you decide to run for high office in another community? What if you are a councilor in another city and a henchman of that city’s mayor who has been itching to impose his will on the city you want to be mayor of? What can we presume? What nagging doubts will your move occasion in people’s minds?
Councilor Leyson of Cebu City has just complied with the letter of the law. He has established his residence and can legally run (for mayor we are made to understand) in Talisay City. So what do we presume from all the maneuvering he has done? What would he tell the Talisay electorate is his motive for running in a place that nobody thinks he is a part of?
Do we presume he is oozing with love for Talisay that he is willing to go through great lengths to comply with the requirements of the law so he can serve his adopted city? If so, then it would be most noble of him. Greater love than this no politician has that he is willing to renounce his native city (although not his councillorship, it seems) in order to serve a neighbor city.
Still, he would really be hard put convincing the people of Talisay that he is running for office out of an overwhelming desire to serve them. Surely he must know that the operative presumption is that he has ulterior, maybe not so honorable, motives for running. And this has to do with his being Tommy Osmeña’s man and Tommy Osmeña does want to keep Talisay on a leash.
Knowing that, how does he expect to win? We cannot presume that Talisay voters would vote for a carpetbagger like he really is. So shall we presume that Councilor Leyson (and Mayor Osmeña) have other ways of winning elections? He wouldn’t be running if he does not think he has a very good chance of winning.
I’m not making any conclusions but simply asking nagging questions that Councilor Leyson’s move to run for mayor in Talisay gives rise in my mind. What is he really up to? Oh, the vagaries and shamelessness of Philippine politics.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 9, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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