IT’S mind boggling. I am sitting quietly in my little nook nursing a stuffy nose and upcoming sore throat. I am my own weather station. When maladies like these happen some weather disturbance and climate change is upon me.
And so it happened last Monday night. I was enjoying my banana torons in Filipino Comfort Food restaurant at Damosa quadrangle while waiting for some important people (it is not very often that I receive an invitation for some “urgent” matters). I was devouring the torons oblivious of what was going on outside: A sudden December rain fell and copiously at that.
I arrived at CFC at 4:00. There were neatly arranged tables and chairs and neatly arranged china. There were a coterie of guests talking in whispers. I do not know anyone except for the one on the head table. He looks like Vice Mayor Al David of Samal who is running for city mayor. But why is he here? Isn’t he running against Gov. Dolfodel Rosario for city mayor of the Island Garden City of Samal and in effect against Tonyboy Floirendo? CFC is in the heart of the Floirendo corporate center.
I seated myself away from the group so that they will not say I am eavesdropping. I scanned my FB to see the latest in Duterte bashing which has become a mad pastime of Roxas fanatics and attacks dogs. I say Roxas because there are but few Binay and Poe followers who are aiming their guns on Digong. People massing in great numbers in Comelec Manila. Digong topped the surveys and already some quarters are throwing everything at him. It looked like the ungodly rebuke of Bishop Socrates Villegas on Duterte’s expletive never really mattered. People wanted Duterte to be President because he is an alternative to the present administration that abets the rotten system, corruption, ineptness and rising tide of criminality that grip Metro Manila
I was in this state of delirium when I heard my name. When I turned around to see where the greetings is coming from I saw Al David Uy, half smiling and half in wonderment. “What’s up here? Surprise to see you in Floirendo’s territory”, I started our conversation. “I don’t know. Tonyboy called me and my father to be here”, he said with a quizzical brows. We went on with some light exchanges until we saw Governor Dolfo entering FCF. Everybody from the opposite table stood up each waiting for his or her turn to shake hands with the governor who later joined our table. He shook hands with Al David and as he sits, I managed to asked him: “Kumusta ka na?” Then turning to me, he said “I just came from Manila for a medical check-up. I felt this stab of pain in my back. Remember I have this slip disc before which landed me in the hospital and I have to wear a cast around my waist. It was there again”, the governor said.
When I saw Al David Uy earlier, I did entertain the possibility that there will be some kind of political moves. That maybe, the vice mayor might pull out from the race. After all they were together before.
“And so, when Tonyboy returned from Japan”, the governor continued, “we had a talk right after my check-up. My doctor told me that if I value a little more comfortable life, it’s about time to call it quits with active politics. My wife, Inday, who was present and angry said “ano pa ba ang hinahanap mo? Thirty years of public service…ibigay mo nay an sa iba”, the governor said as he taps my shoulder. It was clear that he will withdraw. By simple deduction, the reason why Al David was called to the hurriedly assembled meeting was that he was the anointed one to replace the governor in the mayoral derby in IGACOS.
Before a shocked Al David could respond, Tonyboy, arrived. He was greeted by the crowd who, I now realized were city councilors and some political leaders. The Chairman of ANFLOCOR is at his best. He saw me in a huddle with his Tito Dolfo. “Ikaw talaga Jun you are avoiding me.” I said I have been texting him about his reaction on so many political issues like Baby Suaybaguio accusing him of “Lobotomy”. Tonyboy dismissed the issue “pabayaan mo siya. I am with district 2 and he is accusing me about my political stand and choices. I am also Chairman of Kusog Baryohanon. Galit siya sa akin dahil ayaw ko raw magpose papicture sa kanya. Dinig ko hinabol pa niya si Digong (Duterte) para magpapicture, kunyari eni-endorse siya ni Mayor”.
Someone who looks like Bebot Alvarez gave out a big laugh. “Isa ka pa”, I told Bebot. “Nagseselos ata sa iyo si Baby kaya umalis sa grupo”. The man who looked like Alvarez said, “everybody knew that I have been rooting for Duterte. Eh, Si Baby Liberal, Si Arrel Olano Malabo kung kanino, si Mahipus naman independent. Ako, ikampanya ko lang si Digong and dahil may matagal akong samahan with Tonyboy and RDR siyempre kay AGR (Anthony del Rosario) ako”, he said.
Tonyboy then stood and explained why he requested the presence of Al David, his father Jimmy and other political personae. He formally broke the news about what they had decided with his Tito Dolfo. Silence pervaded in the dining hall. When it was the turn of Governor Dolfo to speak, He confirmed his withdrawal and that the man he picks to be the common candidate of the LP and Kusog is Al David.
Young and maybe lacks the lessons of political nuances, Al David, at least from the way I appraised him, was in the state of shock and disbelief. He acknowledged in our private talk that Governor Dolfo was leading the surveys. Now he is the direct beneficiary of this all. He spoke in long pauses, hardly able to articulate his gratitude to Del Rosario and Tonyboy. In fact he spoke twice, to reaffirm his commitment to support Rep. Anthony del Rosario in his next bid which is to run for governor.
The morning after, Governor Dolfo issued a formal statement about his withdrawal. But that is not yet his swan song. He has still several months left in office to finally bring a closure to his incomparable service to Davao del Norte.