It's a three-way contest for Moalboal mayoralty

It is going to be a three-cornered fight in Moalboal but it was not sure yet who, among them, Governor Gwen Garcia would support.

The three are Vice Mayor Felix Pocong, Yvon-the wife of Mayor Inocentes Cabaron, and Brigida-the wife of the mayor's brother and former provincial prosecutor Arturo Cabanal.

All three of them were known allies of the governor but Vice Mayor Pocong's decision to run against the wife of the mayor, who was his party-mate in the last elections, showed that the Moalboal politics had been divided already.

Mayor Cabaron told reporters yesterday he is fielding his wife Yvon for the mayoralty post, based on the clamor of the heads of 15 barangays of the town.

Reports have it that the cracks in the mayor's alliance with Vice Mayor Pocong began last December 24 when the latter's adviser relayed to a barangay captain the vice-mayor's intent to run as an independent candidate for mayor in the May 14 elections.

This report resulted in a meeting among barangay captains last December 31, where one of them suggested to the mayor to field his wife Yvon instead against Vice Mayor Pocong for the mayoralty race. They also reportedly vowed to back the candidacy of whomever the mayor will endorsed.

Mayor Cabaron however clarified that the political cracks actually began a few months after the 2004 elections when the municipal council blocked a proposed resolution granting him authority to enter into a P12-million loan for the purchase of heavy equipment.

The Capitol's engineering department at the time had no task force for infrastructure projects, and this prompted the mayor to have the town buy its own equipment for repairs of its roads.

Two incumbent councilors, Pedro Abrenica and Romulado Avenido, would be running for reelection under Pocong's ticket.

Councilor Nelson Abenido, on the other hand, would be the runningmate of Yvon with councilor Misael Sebumpan going for reelection under their slate.

Arturo, Mayor Cabaron's brother who was one of the lawyers of the late actor Fernando Poe Jr. who ran and lost for president in the 2004 polls, said he would also be fielding his wife Brigida for mayor.

He said he and his brother, the incumbent mayor, are both allies of Governor Garcia but it is up to the governor to decide whose candidacy she would support. - Cristina C. Birondo