REP. Pastor Alcover Jr. of the Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (Anad) party-list is up against party mates who conducted a general assembly earlier this month and submitted their own list of nominees to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
David Odilao Jr., Anad vice chairman, said that pursuant to the constitution and by-laws of their party-list group, they conducted a general assembly in Manila where they elected officers and selected nominees.
In that assembly, Odilao, a former Bureau of Customs Port of Cebu district collector, was selected as number one nominee by the general assembly to replace Alcover.
The other nominees in Odilao’s faction are—(2nd) Liborio Hangao, grandmaster and founder of The Guardians; (3rd) businessman Alexander Canonigo of Sta. Cruz, Manila; (4th) retired army general Bernardo Mabagu, representing Luzon; and (5th) Herminigildo Gonzaga of Agdao, Davao City.
When sought for comment, Alcover dismissed Odilao’s group as nothing but troublemakers.
“What is Odilao’s personality in calling for a general assembly? Will the people believe him when I am the sitting congressman?” Alcover said.
Alcover said he is confident that Comelec will honor his list of nominees.
His list, which includes himself as the first nominee, is composed of (2nd) Baltaire Balangauan from Bohol, (3rd) his son Pastor “Jongjong” Alcover II, (4th) Roel Arnoco Dagooc of Zamboanga and (5th) Domingo Balang, Anad president.
But Odilao said Alcover’s list was a product of dictatorship.
Odilao said that in the 2007 elections, the number one nominee was Alcover, followed by lawyer Ruben Platon and him (Odilao).
He said that when Alcover became congressman, by virtue of a Supreme Court order, he (Alcover) circumvented the constitution and by-laws by making it appear that the general membership passed a resolution giving him the blanket authority to choose the next nominees for the 2010 elections.
Odilao said Alcover ousted Platon (who is now running for mayor in Upi, South Cotabato) and replaced him (Odilao) with Jongjong.
“He is allegedly fighting against the communists in order to preserve democracy, but he is practicing dictatorship. Labaw pa sa komunista ni (He’s worst than the communists),” Odilao said, adding that they are campaigning for Anad because they believe the nominees of the splinter group will be declared the legitimate ones by the Comelec.