Tuesday, March 27, 2007 Ledesma: A drab election in Davao City By Jun Ledesma Sunbursts
EXCEPT for the congressional race in the 3rd and 2nd districts it's virtually another dreary election day in Davao City. Hugpong sa Katawhang Dabawnon, a political powerhouse of Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, is fielding candidates who are practically unopposed.
The father and daughter tandem of Mayor Duterte and lady lawyer Inday Sara have opponents alright but by in my classification of the political animal kingdom they belong to the "nuisance" species not really extinct because you see some of them even running for the presidency and other high positions.
In Davao City we see local legislators on opposite poles. They trade tirades and insults, scramble for committee chairmanships, indulge in wishful thinking of becoming vice mayor and congressmen. In the end they all submit themselves to the party whip - Mayor Duterte himself.
It's not because they do not have the freedom to do what they wish because the Mayor can kiss them goodbye and even wish them luck, but being identified with Hugpong and the Mayor is more than half the premium of winning an elective post.
In a way, I doff my hat to members of the Sangguniang Panglungsod of Davao. They debate, although a number of them only listen, and change leadership overnight.
The only distasteful conduct I have observed so far is when they alter individual positions on certain issues as quickly as they perceive is the stand and cue from City Hall. The essence of debate and check and balance is therefore lost and what could be a forum of honorable men and women becomes a coterie of irrelevant legislators.
I hope that in the next council they will not consign themselves to the deferral and the convenience of just having to agree with one another. Obeisance is not what the mayor needs from legislators. It's clarity of propositions and issues surrounding the legislative measures that he needs not those that sprung from stoic and blind loyalty, which sometimes is the other face of political survival.
