Friday, December 15, 2006 Roperos: Con-Ass and local politics By Godofredo M. Roperos Politics Also
WITH the constituent assembly (Con-Ass) scheme effectively set aside and the majority members of the House of Representatives who supported the passage of the resolution to this effect runniang for dear political life and making hasty apologies, the final bar to the holding of the mid-term elections has been scuttled.
It can now be said that the age-old saying to let the sleeping lion lie in peace and quiet has received another stunning affirmation from the people.
Politically experienced House members, who thought they could push through a change in the nation’s fundamental law without the involving the people every inch of the process, has realized that it is wise to behave like a wise guy.
My point is that it is now okay for politicians to start preparing for the coming mid-term elections, as developments in the House indicate that the May 14, 2007 elections will push through after all. Of course, the situation is still dependent upon the final moves of the wily speaker, a man who does not seem to savor having his well-laid plan set aside on a mere opposition from a 23-member Senate.
People were wary the other day that Jose de Venecia may still have aces up his sleeves on the Con-Ass. Truth to tell, at this point when the campaign for next year’s elections has barely started, we can still expect some surprises from his camp.
And speaking of local politics, the political pot appears to have started to boil in some parts of the province where new and old political feuds have begun to heat up once more.
In my home district, once known as the 7th but is now called the 3rd, the Osmeñas, the Garcias and the Yaphas are floating plans that will affect the lives of people there, either for the good or bad, depending upon their vote.
In Mandaue City, a family that was politically asleep the past many years seems to have been awakened to the quick by the Ouanos, who are presently in effective control of the city. I mean the Quisumbings that sits on a business empire that has never been consciously used yet for politics.
Last week, the Quisumbings reportedly filed a complaint with the Ombudsman against Mayor Teddy Ouano over a reclaimed property.
Not yet privy to any detail of the case, I can only say that if the Quisumbing patriarch, Tootsie, will wake up to the political potential of his power and influence as a respected businessman not only in Cebu but also in the national sphere, whoever he supports in next year’s elections definitely can put up a good political challenge to the Ouanos.
If the Quisumbings succeed, Mayor Ouano will only have himself to blame for having disturbed a sleeping business lion and driving him to politics.
There are things in our country’s political tradition that necessitates one to develop very sharp eyes and very keen sense of smell to tell which “sleeping lion” in his area of concern he should allow to lie and sleep in peace.
The recent Con-Ass experience of Speaker Joe de V should give a bit of a lesson to his colleagues. I do not know if Mayor Teddy has that kind of skills.
