SM poll funding?

Is SM now engaged in funding politicians? What is its agenda if indeed it has gone into this chaotic and counterproductive enterprise?

Anybody of authority from SM companies or the Nationalist People’s Coalition, or the candidates, can deny this but what cannot be denied is that word going the rounds that SM will spend millions this election in Occidental Negros to insure that Governor Alfredo Marañon does not get reelected and somebody who will accommodate whatever SM wants in this province takes over control.

Rep. Alfredo Benitez, a financial associate of SM, can also come out and deny or SP member Patrick Lacson who is rooting for SM can also speak out on the veracity of this talk.

Early last month, I was in south Negros and during coffee, local albeit small-town politicians, believe and so declared that the local boys expect a lot of money from the Alvarez camp. When I asked whether this will come from NPC or the bruited about funding source, Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco, the local politicians said this money is different and in addition to what they all believe will come from Cojuangco and the NPC.

I asked from where then? The answers seemed to point to SM. What is the scenario that this giant business enterprise is getting into the messy world of politicians with its hands clearly visible?

The speculation is this. SM wants Marañon out and so they got Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez to run. When (or if) Alvarez won, so the scenario goes, Alvarez will rescind the agreement of the province with Ayala, call for another bidding and SM Prime Holdings would win the bid.

The initial plan for SM to get the capitol lot for control or dominance over Negros business would then be fulfilled. The cost of several millions in this plan could easily be recovered.

When did this happen? The response: when Marañon became adamant about rebidding and giving SM the lot and Alvarez was induced to try his luck since NPC would remove Marañon from any position of influence and without the NPC, Marañon would cave in and give Alvarez a free field.

Sounds plausible but I did not bite, although there are other information offered and they also seemed credible.

Two weeks ago, I was invited to lunch by somebody from outside Negros and the same scenario was played out. The business of this source is to have his ears on the political ground. Was this coincidence? This new source claims inside information but has the same scenario as in south Negros.

On money matters, the source outside of Negros identified Rep. Albee Benitez to be the bagman. Is this the reason that some local politicians gravitate towards Benitez?

But the latest is that a monkey wrench was thrown into this scenario when the reported two surveys purported to show that no matter how much money will be spent to get rid of Marañon, the amount will be insufficient.

Businessmen, after all, compute the cost-benefit ratio and the result shows that the funders will be throwing good money after bad. So now we hear the closing of the tap.

Another development given to me by a national official (not a politician) is that his field man reported to have seen in Talisay City a tarpaulin with the photo of Benitez for congressman and Marañon for governor.

Whatever happened to Benitez’s support for Alvarez?

This official told me that reports from the field show a growing strength of former Congressman Kako Lacson because Kako appears to be supporting Marañon. So, the logic continues, it would be to his benefit for Benitez to carry Marañon rather than Alvarez.

If Benitez continues to support Alvarez who is perceived and shown by surveys to be at the losing end in this political exercise, Benitez jeopardizes his own candidacy. He is just being practical, logic says.

If this report is true, then the repercussions in the entire NPC slate can be disastrous. The SM money would not be coming or the funds from Benitez, despite the millions he rakes from his gambling business in association with SM companies.

The national official has more to say, but we need to check on these. One that seems logical is that Talisay City Mayor Eric Saratan may shift his support from Alvarez to Marañon because of the combined forces of the Lacson and the Lizares families, the two biggest voting blocks in the city.

There will be other realignments, he said but we just have to wait for developments. These will become clearer by January 2013 when the promised funding from SM and the NPC comes or disappears. If the money comes, the report says, it will not be as expected and can change the scenario.*

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