The 5th District polls

Tomorrow the voters of the Fifth Congressional District will go to the polls and choose the successor to the late Cong. Ignacio Arroyo.

This is an interesting study in local politics and proves once again that in politics blood or civil relations matter little, only the quest for the position prevails. Thus are pitted Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro “Bebot” Yulo Mirasol and Fifth District Provincial Council Representative Emilio “Dino” Yulo. As well-known they are related by blood.

The clash of the two relatives necessarily created cleavage between the families, the Yulo clan, specifically. The Mirasol families are united under Bebot but the Yulos are divided, and reportedly more inclined on the side of Bebot.

A Yulo family head in Hinigaran talked on radio last Wednesday and said that most of the Yulos are taking the side of Bebot because they were disappointed when in 2010 Dino ran for the provincial council seat without their knowledge and consent. They had agreed earlier, this Yulo from Hinigaran said, that Dino would run for vice governor because it was also given to him almost on a silver platter.

We recall that in that election, Dino was Vice Governor after succeeding Vice Governor Elpidio Zayco who took over the reins of the province on the death of Gov. Joseph Marañon. Dino was a shoo-in for the post.

He decided to run for his council seat instead, I presume, in preparation for the vacancy that Arroyo would create as Iggy Arroyo was then ending his three terms and already disqualified for reelection.

Arroyo’s unexpected death created this situation where a special election has to be held. In a way, this upset Dino’s calculation and then Bebot, bolstered by the victory of President Benigno Aquino decided to run for the vacated post.

As is well known, Bebot is the first mayor in the province who took the risk of supporting Aquino when all others were reticent and weighing their options. That support from Bebot was not lost to the President and as expected he supports Bebot now.

The United Negros Alliance, headed by Governor Alfredo Marañon naturally boosted Bebot because the mayor belongs to their multiparty coalition. The mayors of five towns in the 5th District joined the governor in supporting Bebot because they belong to UNA as well.

The mayor of the only city in the district, Himamaylan, threw his support for Dino. Mayor Tinto Bascon is the first cousin of Dino’s wife, Rosalie, and in this case blood relations played a vital role in decision making.

However, while Tinto, son of hotelier Dodong and former Himamaylan Mayor Menchit Gatuslao, the sister of the late Mayor Hernan Gatuslao whose daughter is married to Dino, the Gatuslaos are not united under Dino’s wing.

This is also expected because the Gatuslaos are also divided. They fought each other in the 2010 election. So some Gatuslaos are with Bebot. Himamaylan, with the largest voting strength is divided thereby.

How many votes will Tinto and Menchit be able to boost Dino’s candidacy? That is speculative also because there are other political families in Himamaylan who are traditionally opposed to the Gatuslaos.

Which side the city’s voters will swing is a guessing game at most, although I believe that Tinto will be able to get a large chunk of it for Dino.

Reports last Monday said that Pulupandan Mayor Magdaleno “Magsie” Peña is throwing his support for Dino. Mayor Peña belongs to the Montilla clan and this family has large land holdings in Magallon. In fact, for decades the Montillas, the family to which the long reigning Garcia family of Magallon belongs still carries a heavy weight there.

Reports also said that Mayor Peña is asserting the family’s leadership and that can carry a lot of votes for Dino.

How this will be pitted with the voting strength of the incumbent Magallon Mayor Frank Nazareno is something to see.

However, in a radio interview, Quito Montilla, with a large following in isabela aside from their Magallon and La Castellana political base, is rooting for Dino. He heads the largest and usually politically-charged planters association, Binalbagan-Isabela Planters Association, and that carries a lot of weight.

The mayors of La Castellana (Alberto Nicor, Jr.), Isabela (Francis Malabor) and Hinigaran (Hermelo Aguilar) had long been their town’s top politicians with a stable of leaders, an army of field workers and a large following.

Can they swing their followers for Bebot? Is their electoral support transferrable to their favored candidate? After tomorrow we will know and we can input this result for the 2013 elections when definitely, there will be a rematch for Bebot and Dino, whoever wins or loses this election. They will serve only for a year.

A politician once said that blood is thicker than water, but politics is thicker than blood. How true!*

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