Wednesday, June 27, 2007 Ledesma: Dolfo's Rubicon By Jun Ledesma Sunbursts
I HAVE been long enough in this God's little acre to know most of what goes on with politics and politicians, their animosities and perversities, loyalty and treachery and uncanny behaviors that defy the norms, like those who do not hesitate to use black propaganda to defile their adversaries to achieve their goals only to waste and lust later in unfettered graft and corruption.
I have known of indicted men and women who sought relief from conviction by running for public office.
But I too have known of men and women who are being sought after by the electorates for their integrity and proven lack of leadership.
Leaders who serve and do not demand that they be served. Leaders who love the masses and in reciprocity love them in return. I can name a few. Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City, Rodolfo del Rosario in Davao del Norte and Rey Uy in Tagum City.
They are about to take their oath of office and renew their pledge and covenant with their respective constituents. Dolfo and Rey, aka "CO," will have theirs in a joint ceremony today.
There will be mass at 8 a.m. followed by the oath-taking ceremonies so I was told.
I want to delve on Dolfo first for his return to the capitol was littered with venomous intrigues and back-stabbing. The Dolfo that I knew was a reluctant candidate.
His doctors had earlier advised him to go slow. This prompted him and the venerable Don Antonio Floirendo to decide to summon Anthony del Rosario from a successful corporate career in banking.
They groomed Anthony for a radical shift geared at government service and made him ran for vice governor to a man whom I can aptly and kindly call an accident personified.
Anthony was a quick learner. He has the political savvy, discipline and integrity of his father. His only advantage is that he was younger. He was prepared to take up bigger responsibilities and he does not need to fit into the shoes of Governor Gelacio Gementiza because his brand of politics and leadership were in the mold of his father and guided by the principles of the grand old man, the one who I called "Mr. White Hair." Gementiza's political sense is Jurassic and most of his native witticisms are already incongruous with the demands of the time.
Even then, he conveniently forgot an unwritten covenant amongst the leaders of Lakas-CMD, of which he is a member that after his term Anthony shall be on deck for governorship.
Yayong bolted Lakas-CMD and swore allegiance to United Opposition of the Genuine Opposition which only yesterday he was throwing much at. Nobody cared, the ripples quieted as quickly as it was stirred.
But Anthony's entry to bigger politics was brief and shocking. Congressman Tonyboy Floirendo virtually emerging from the cold made a dramatic announcement that he is running for governor.
In the succession of events Gementiza, rumored to have struck a handsome deal with Tonyboy, withdrew from the race and like the classic will-o-the-wisp declared he is no longer interested with the gubernatorial race and instead seek a new mandate as mayor of Tagum City.
"CO" the Tagum City Mayor was not scared of Yayong. He told me that anyone can beat Yayong and therefore he is seriously considering running for governor.
Problem is CO is practically irreplaceable in Tagum. The Tagum constituency has seen the stark difference between the governance of Yayong and CO they cannot even compromise the city government to anyone outside of CO.
From what I learned later, Dolfo returned to Tagum. He was happy the doctors told him that they made a wrong diagnosis about his ailment but surely any father will be disheartened over the fate of Anthony. His presence in Tagum spread like wildfire.
As he prepared to go home to Davao the morning after his return, he saw a throng of people, over 5,000 of them by conservative estimate, many of them his political leaders from afar, some from various religious sectors, gathered and chanting his name encouraging him to run. A group brought with them the statue of Virgin Mary. The more vocal among them cried urging Dolfo to run and save the province of Davao del Norte.
It was the most difficult decision Dolfo had to make in his life having to be pitted against his nephew. But the voice of the people was deafening. Formidable political forces, among them led by Mayor Uy, pledged their personal resources for Dolfo.
In an interview, Mayor Uy said the gains of Davao del Norte and even of Tagum would have been placed in jeopardy had Dolfo not acceded to the people's wish. I also talked to a pillar in the religious community in Davao del Norte. He confessed, that they took active part in the rally because they believed in the integrity, the quality of leadership and the development program of del Rosario.
"We cannot compromise the future of the province," the priest told me.
And so today, Dolfo and CO take the center stage. Until today, the intrigue and the divisive forces lurk in the dark, wanting to discredit Dolfo and CO.
As far as Dolfo is concerned, his governance will always be guided by the direction set forth by Don Antonio Floirendo whom he has always considered as his father and the father of the province of Davao del Norte. He said he was thankful of the Divine intervention that goaded him to run. Dolfo has passed his Rubicon.
BTW, I was told that there will be a mass at 8 a.m. at the Tagum Cathedral after which the oath-taking ceremonies will follow.
