Santos: Fortunate Fellow

CONGRESSIONAL candidate Renecito Novero should not resent the fact that many of mayoralty candidate Monico Punetevella’s partisans are supporting other congressional candidates than him. Maybe, its about time he looks into himself where has he done wrong, or to put it precisely, what is wrong with him why even Monico’s staunchest allies are rejecting him even to the point of defying Monico. In fact, even to the extent of abandoning Monico himself if he insists on Novero, the way many abandoned him in the 2007 elections for insisting on Joy Valdez.

Cross voting is not really new to Bacolod elections. In 1963, the Bacolod electorate rejected the late mayor Romeo Guanzon’s vice mayor by voting for vice mayor Inocencio Lucasan, who belonged to another political party. In 2001, they again rejected Leonardia’s teammate by electing Chick Garcia, who ran under former vice mayor Monju Guanzon.

Again, in 2004 they rejected Leonardia’s teammate, Archie Baribar by reelecting Cong. Monico Puentevella.

So, what is Novero crying about?

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What is sad is when the mayoralty bet intentionally junks his congressional partner, which is what Archie Baribar believed Leonardia did to him. So embittered is Archie that he has chosen now to run for councilor under Puentevella’s ticket, the very person who defeated him in 2004, rather than under Leonardia.

On the other hand, Monico keeps on insisting on his supporters to vote for Novero, refusing to learn a lesson from his near defeat in 2007 because he stood by his mayoralty partner then, Joy Valdez. In fact, I was told he is encouraging his Sanggunian teammates to solicit support even from those who will not support his mayoralty bid. I suppose this also goes true with Novero, which is why Monico isn’t complaining about the few barangay officials supporting Novero who openly are campaigning for Bing Leonardia. Worse, the campaign expenses and allowances of these Novero supporters are borne by the common fund that Monico and Sammy Palanca put up.

I think I know now why campaign manager Valdez, feels more strongly for Novero than Monico Puentevella, and why she would rather that the campaign expenses of Novero’s anti-Monico supporters be absorbed by this common fund while insisting on the disbandment of MOCA, which is for Monico only as they prefer Cano Tan over Novero.

For one, Valdez and Novero share a common misery, both having been repeatedly defeated in the past elections, Valdez even more so since she lost to Bing Leonardia in 2007 by a margin unprecedented in Bacolod’s history. Which is why I am wondering why Monico took her in as campaign manager when, for all intents and purposes, she is a political washout.

For another, both Valdez and Novero have placed themselves under the benefaction of Sammy Palanca. Whatever dreams of public office may still linger in their hearts, can only come true, if ever, through Palanca’s magic wand.

For yet another, this 2010 political exercise maybe their last hurrah if Monico loses. If he wins, Valdez may be rewarded with the position of city administrator, but considering that her own tenure as city mayor was likewise saddled with graft, (in fact, she has a pending graft case with the Sandiganbayan), Monico’s appointing her city administrator would start Monico’s mayorship on a sour note.

As for Novero, well, he is Palanca’s lawyer. The multi-billion Reclamation project is a fat client. Besides, he is a recognized minister of the (Evangelical) church.

And he can always stage a comeback since apparently Palanca does not grow tired of bankrolling him.

Fortunate fellow, indeed.

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