Friday, May 18, 2007 Roperos: New political clan By Godofredo M. Roperos Politics Also
WHEN the smoke of the midterm elections shall have cleared, there should be nothing left standing in the midst of the debris but the “truth” of what were said by the candidates and political spokesmen.
Of course, there may have been some truths that the people overlooked in favor of their personal sentiments, but essentially, they must have voted according to their conscience and belief.
Much have been said and perhaps even “invented” in the past campaign and then passed off as truth, so it must have taken the voters a lot of hard thinking and stretching of patience to ferret out the truth.
But as the saying goes, some people can be fooled most of the time, others can be fooled some of the time, but not all people can be fooled all the time.
Thus, as initial results have shown, the candidates and political groups that have remained standing may be said to have held the “truth” most, or majority of the people, believed in.
And people decided they should be allowed to lead their town, city or province over the next three years to fulfill and realize the truth.
For the moment, the most obvious trend the Cebuanos noticed is the emergence of a new dominant political clan in the province.
After many decades that saw the ascendance of such political families as the Cuencos, Duranos and Osmeñas, there seems to be a need for a new political family to lead the island.
If the trend in the canvassing continues, Cebu should have a new political clan added to the previous ones it already has, and I am referring to the Garcias.
In the count yesterday morning, the three Garcias that saw action in the last campaign are holding their respective redoubts against their opponents.
In the province, Governor Gwen is ahead of her rival by about three to one.
Father Pablo, who is vying for Congress in the second district, is also ahead by about two votes to one over a Kintanar, a member of what was also once a prominent political family.
The third Garcia is Pablo John, who is vying for the congressional seat of Cebu’s third district. He is leading his rival by about two to one over a member of the Yapha political clan.
