Politics – It can unite, it can divide

The most tragic and pathetic spectacles are families being broken up because of politics. Normally, politics is uniting, not divisive. But there are places where the ambitions of siblings and sons clash with those of their parents. And the result is a family split-up. That takes time to heal.

In Iloilo province, the first congressional district is watching with bated breath the battle between Bastik Serag and his sister, Mayor Ninfa Garin, wife of former congressman and Coconut Secretary Oscar Garin for the mayorship of San Joaquin town.

In Negros Oriental, there is a conflict between re-electionist Rep. Jacinto Paras (first district, Oriental Negros) and his brother, former three-term Rep. Jerome Paras.

Jacinto said his constituents and the first district’s mayors want his wife, Olive, to run for Congress.

Jerome contended, however, that in 2004, an agreement was signed among members of the family wherein Jerome agreed that Jacinto would be the family’s candidate for 2004 and then Jerome again in 2007.

In the same province, former Valencia town mayor and former vice governor Edgar Teves filed his certificate of candidacy for the third district Wednesday.

Teves will challenge his nephew, Henry Pryde Teves, grandson of Rep. Herminio Teves, for the third district congressional post.

Actually, Edgar ran against Herminio in 2004 but got snowed under.

In Pulupandan town of Negros Occidental, meanwhile, Samson Mondia, brother of incumbent Mayor Luis Mondia, will slug it out with his second cousin, Crisanto, and lawyer Magdaleno Peña.

But if that’s not a messy situation, Bonifacio, the brother of Magdaleno, announced that he is backing Samson, the candidate of the Kampi-United Negros Alliance.

Bonifacio told local mediamen yesterday that he was dismayed by Magdaleno’s (Magsie’s) alleged harassment and blackmailing of squatters in Pulupandan.

Magsie has served an ejection notice to some 3,000 squatter families. Bonifacio, on the other hand, declared that he intends to donate five hectares as relocation site for the squatters.

Peña’s running mate is former Pulupandan mayor Antonio Suatengco. The latter will clash head-on with Julio Seminio of the Lakas party.

In Negros Occidental’s first district, a lot of excitement has been triggered by the filing of former Rep. Jules Ledesma of his certificate of candidacy. He is taking on re-electionist Rep. Tranquilino Carmona, the official Nationalist People’s Coalition bet for the district.

Ledesma claimed that he had a gentleman’s agreement with Carmona in 2004 that in 2007 it would be his turn to run for Congress. But Carmona reportedly refused to honor that. Besides, Ledesma added that Carmona was a Kampi member of good standing. The lawmaker, however, was officially named by the NPC as its official bet for the first district.

Until the closure of the Comelec offices, nobody can really be certain who the candidates for the various local positions will be.

I had a big laugh yesterday when former Rep. John Orola told me that Comelec officials called him up shortly before midnight Friday to inquire whether he was going to file his COC.

Orola did not. But his brother, Bart, filed his as an independent council bet.

It was not unexpected, but Joel Dojillo, former Negros Press Club president, and peace advocate lawyer Andy Hagad filed together their COCs for mayor of Bacolod and congressman of the city’s lone district.

Suddenly, watchers found themselves surprised when wheelchair-bound former Bacolod mayor Oscar Verdelor came to the Comelec office to file his certificate of candidacy for mayor of Bacolod as an independent.

Accompanied by his wife, Barbara, and lawyer Nilo Sorbito, Verdelor asserted that he would win because the other mayoralty candidates have many problems while he has none. He claims wide support among tricycle and trisikad drivers.

Bacolod’s Team Performance

Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella led members of the Team Performance of the Lakas party when they filed their COCs at the Comelec office Thursday.

The NPC ticket also bared its "mystery candidate" as dismissed president Eddie Guillem of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative flew back to Bacolod Thursday in time for the deadline and registered his bid. Guillen claimed that a lawmaker was impossible for his ouster.

Puentevella said the Team Performance wore red, "the color of champions."

The Team Performance is led by former Bacolod mayor Luzviminda (Joy) Valdez and her vice mayoralty bet, councilor Elmer Sy. The candidates for the council are former city engineer Loreto Dilag, Barangay Villamonte official Andre Victor Las Piñas, Nanette Gracia, El Cid Familiaran, Bobbie Lucasan, Catalino Alisbo, Marvin Tanada, Inocencio Ferrer, and Dr. Reynold Iledan.

But the temperature of the mudslinging between the camps of Leonardia and Rep. Puentevella has reached an explosive level during the past week. And it is expected to gather momentum as the "shooters" from each camp unleash their accusations through interviews and exposés.

So far, aside from having their happy bingo parlor padlocked and its permit withdrawn, the sons of Puentevella have been accused of several offenses by city legal officer Allan Zamora. Puentevella also had several cases filed against him with the Ombudsman for the procurement of IT packages which were purportedly overpriced by as much as P11 million.

Puentevella, however, said he does not have to answer all the issues against him, otherwise he won’t have time to campaign and would be bogged down by Q and A sessions.

But the main point is that by next week we can more or less flesh out how the campaign season would proceed and how far the protagonists would go in their quest for votes.

ADDENDUM. If there is something that is impressive, it is that both the Team Unity and GO tickets have gone individually on the campaign trail. Apparently, now everyone realizes the changes in the mode of campaign. Meanwhile, the only thing we can do is to carefully watch out for developments. The situation remains chaotic. Only the politicians seem to be able to make heads or tails of the situation at the moment.