ONLY two of eight candidates of Partido Barug, running under the PDP-Laban banner, survived in the Cebu City 2019 north district race for councilors: Niña Mabatid and Raymond Alvin Garcia.
Niña is a newbie in politics and transferee from rival BOPK (she was reportedly expelled by Mayor Tomas Osmeña when she vied for the ABC post against his protégé Franklyn Ong).
Yet she outperformed all her colleagues by placing #2 (113,908 votes), six spots away from #8-placer Garcia (101,578) with the next Barug top vote-getters Joel Garganera at #10 (96,561), Noel Wenceslao, #11 (93,522), and Jun Alcover, #13 (84,359).
What caused the furor, initially within the confines of Barug, then breaking out during election post-mortems, were the intramural complaints against Mabatid.
Rivals did it
Of course, it wasn’t Mabatid who dislodged her own colleagues. Barug party mates who didn’t make it were shut out by BOPK rivals. Barug could’ve done better or as well in the north as its bets in the south district, who grabbed six out of eight slots. The poor showing in the north resulted in the nine-versus-seven final election tally, effectively making BOPK dominance of 11-against-seven, given two more pro-BOPK votes from ABC and SK.
The “culprits” must be BOPK’s Nestor Archival (#1), Joy Young (#3), Lea Japson (#4), Bebs Andales (#5), Alvin Arcilla (#6), and Alvin Dizon (#7). But like any other multiple scramble for a limited number of seats, the 2019 fight inevitably made party mates suspicious and envious of one another.
Each political party used to enforce strict rules on team play. You hardly see in past elections propaganda material of one party candidate that didn’t bear the names of colleagues and the name of the party itself. In the 2019 campaign, most posters and leaflets displayed only solo faces and names.
Solo act
Mabatid must have done the “solo act” beyond propaganda messages. Her populist gimmicks – including health benefits under “Paspas” cards and other giveaways--understandably were aimed to hurdle advantages enjoyed by political veterans who were competing for the few councilor slots. Even on the homestretch of the campaign, there were already rumblings within Barug against Mabatid’s thrusts.
The potshots now being hurled at Mabatid harp on her accountability for specific and concrete promises she made during the campaign. As if she could be dragged to court or stripped of her City Council seat if she couldn’t deliver.
Prejudging Nina
Her promises were just like any other politician’s: often abundant and generous when made before crowds of voters but only half-remembered and barely fulfilled during the term. In fairness though, she still has to begin her official service. Critics are prejudging her.
She was made to answer in court in 2017 for alleged breach of promise to at least 15 would-be OFWs who paid a total of more than a million pesos to her Pinoy Care Visa Center Inc. And she’s still facing administrative charges filed by Waterfront Hotel and Casino employees for alleged misconduct as a barangay captain in that July 10 incident when she was mistaken for a sex worker. But those were private and personal. Could her election promises be litigated? No, sir.
Take it up in 2022
You must not have heard of any politician punished by jail term, fine, or even loss of public office for not fulfilling campaign promises. Talk shows of Korina Sanchez and the Tulfos probed and needled Niña about the alleged scam in her private business. Local broadcasters can roast her on coal in their radio programs and make a huge issue in 2022 about her promises in the just concluded elections.
Beyond that, nothing can be done about any politico’s un-kept promises.