Funny politics

I am greatly relieved and thankful with the assurance of Secretary Edwin Lacierda, presidential spokesman who called last Friday to assure us that the Blessed Sacrament had not been removed from the Malacanang Chapel. The rumors that had been going the rounds are entirely untrue, Lacierda said and that the Aquinos remain staunch Catholics.

Justin Gatuslao, youngest son of Tony Gat, who works in Lacierda’s office facilitated the call.

These rumors are not funny at all but I am glad that I wrote about it and enabled Malacanang to make an official denial. He also said anybody can come and visit the Blessed Sacrament at the Chapel and, in fact, people do come for a visit.

As the days come closer to October when candidates for the 2013 election are to file their certificates of candidacy, the political field is getting funnier and the reports of alliances, compromises, accommodations and arrangements are getting heavier and livelier. Political pundits are increasing in number. In a sense, the national past time has begun.

Let’s start with an otherwise welcome relief – the asphalting of the main road, this time Lacson Street. While the Department of Public Works and Highways has already explained to Bácolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia why it asphalted the road without as much as by your leave from the City, Bácolod Rep. Anthony Golez jumped into the fray and made his own explanation.

The situation has become funny because, instead of a simple faux pas from the DPWH, Golez opened himself to criticism. The asphalting is not entirely unwelcome but when he tried to defend it, he gets part of the flak. He could have let the DPWH fry on their asphalt.

Now people are asking why Golez did not bother about other roads in dire need of repair. He claims these roads are the city’s responsibility. Not quite. These are under the DPWH, not the City Engineer’s office.

Mayor Leonardia is going to complain to the Secretary of DPWH. He should. I had been receiving similar inquiries and in fact, one came to the office just to say that he cannot understand the logic of this project. He said that the area where their building is being constructed is usually temporarily flooded and the overlay will be surely washed out.

He bewails the lack of consultation by DPWH and the waste of public funds.

It is also funny that Golez should keep on with his insistence that the city charter day be on October 19. If he is sure of his legal opinion better than the lawyers’ why didn’t he file the case in court to stop the city instead of running around media outlets explaining his legal expertise?

But the funny thing is that opposition Councilor Archie Baribar wants to have June 18 declared as Panghanduraw Day.

Something is also funny in the provincial scene. People cannot wait for Occidental Governor Freddie Marañon to make a final declaration but speculate here and there. They are pitting Vice Governor Lim-ao Alvarez to run against the governor. They are reading “messages” from the postponement of the convention of the United Negros Alliance and the meeting of Ambassador Danding Cojuangco with this and that politician.

Gov. Freddie must have found these speculations funny because he and Lim-ao are close allies and there is no report of any rift between them.

This report is not funny, however, as far as the Familia de la Cruz of Salvador Benedicto town is concerned. Lawyer Max Ortiz is intent on challenging the dominance of the family there. The Familia, father, mother and son, have been changing positions each time the term of office of one of them expires.

The town is like a fiefdom and Max intends to put an end to it.

Max came into the eye of the political storm when last year he exposed the titling of several hundred hectares of public land under questionable circumstances. The case is now in court.

Many wealthy people from Bácolod, Manila, and other towns of Negros, including Filipinos abroad had purchased lands in that mountain town because of its cool climate.

Despite threats, Max is bent on running and putting an end to the family dynasty. He claims that the original inhabitants there had been dispossessed by this titling, that funny, includes the land that Max had purchased.

There will more funny stories and in fact, several are already emerging, like the mayors and congressmen ganging up on the governor because he is not giving them pork and perks, though they admit that he is an excellent and dynamic administrator.

If that is a problem it can be resolved by the time of the election. They are probably just saying let the good times roll now. Anyway we shall see when UNA completes its slate.*

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