Bzzzzz: Why Barug fared poorly in Cebu City north. The Tulfos' extra-special protection.

Bzzzzz: Why Barug fared poorly in Cebu City north. The Tulfos' extra-special protection.

PEOPLE are talking about...

* HOW TULFOS GOT SO MUCH POLICE PROTECTION. Were they being given extra-special attention by the police, with their security details from the PNP and Philippine Marines, numbering eight in all, for the brothers Erwin, Ben, Raffy and Raffy's wife Jocelyn? The protection had been extended "for a long time" and was allowed by Comelec even during the election period.

* DUTERTE GETTING A NOTE TO END SPEECH. While talking at the 25th Nikkei Conference on The Future of Asia in Tokyo, Japan last Friday (May 31), President Rodrigo Duterte was slipped a note. Duterte was saying, "If you are doing business, why should you go there? And..." and then paused, and continued by reading the note aloud, "...Please conclude speech."

He followed the request, telling the audience he had to leave because Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was waiting.

It was not handed by a member of Duterte's staff but someone described as "a Japanese man in a suit." Must be with the organizers; no MalacaƱang aide would dare interrupt, much more tell the president to end his talk.

* TWO MEMORABLE QUOTES IN THAT TOKYO SPEECH. (1) "I love China. It has helped us a bit. But it behooves upon us, Is it right for a country to claim the whole of the ocean?" (2) "... I cannot afford a war with anybody, not only with China. The moment I send out my marines beyond six kilometers, they will all be wiped out."

Team work plus

What will explain the poor performance of Barug candidates for the Cebu City Council in the north district, compared to that of their counterpart in the south? (Only two Barug bets won in the north, while five won in the south, against BOPK's six in the north and three in the south, or nine against seven.)

One theory, from someone who had observed up close the "pulong-pulong" (small meetings) of both groups: better team work in the south and "solo" acts in the north.

Other plausible explanations: (1) BOPK had heavier councilor timber in the north than in the south. (2) BOPK's congressional aspirant in the north pulled up more councilor bets than its House bet in the south did.

Post-poll appointments

The ban on appointment of candidates who lost in the elections within one year after last May 13 helps mayors and governors in warding off requests for jobs in government. The prohibition is found in the Constitution and the Local Government Code.

It covers any and all offices in the government or government-owned or controlled corporation, whether in the town, province or city where the candidate ran and lost or anywhere else. If one ran and lost, say, in Bohol, the candidate cannot employed even in Cebu or anywhere else in the country. Only for one year and excluding candidates in barangay elections.

Still, there are many more non-candidates who queue for jobs at offices of election winners. The ban cannot be used as excuse for not hiring them.

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