This article must necessarily be a sequel to my write up last Thursday. It has to be. In the early morning hours of that day, when most were still attending to the priority items of our individual agenda, I received a call from an employee of the Talisay City government. He reacted, quite interestingly, to what I wrote here. His inputs were enlightening because the insights of the caller were generated from the earlier perceptions of Fred, whom I mentioned in the title of this column last Thursday, that is why I thank the latter. But before saying anything, let me answer the question, who was Fred?
I said that when Fred and I met somewhere near the Fuente Osmeña, he acted like a long-lost friend. Truthfully, I could not place a name to his face but I felt very embarrassed to tell him I forgot who he was. It could be very rude and disheartening too. Faced with that unenviable situation, I played along and just pretended to know him after he said that he was Fred and we were in the campaign trail in the May 2016 elections. But, should our paths meet again, I am resolved to tell him personally how sad I was to forget his name. Anyway, he was, in our meeting, engrossed with his observations of the current politics and I did not find the need to explain that forgetfulness prevailed over me then.
Let me go back to my caller. He informed me that he got my cellular phone number from another Talisay City hall employee but since he saw my name on the phone book, he called me on the landline, instead. His intention was to prevent a way I could trace him. To add a measure of precaution, he said that he was not going to reveal himself to me then. I wanted to put the phone down but he assured me that his reaction to my column was devoid of any personal bias.
My caller said that he could not blame Vice Mayor Alan Bucao to start plotting his campaign for mayor in 2019. In January of 2015, he was already planning to seek the top position of Talisay City. His organization began to take form then with some barangay captains loyal to then former Congressman Eduardo R. Gullas, inclined to gravitate to him. In the mind of my caller, Bucao reasoned out that with the inevitable clash of then incumbent Mayor Johnny de los Reyes and Atty. Romeo Villarante, his chances were good. Both officials were going to destroy each other and he, Bucao, would go unscathed.
My caller revealed to me a piece of information that I could not personally validate. He said that now Mayor Eduardo R. Gullas, Sir Eddie, to me plainly, sought Mr. Bucao and expressed a desire to face JVR again. Accordingly, this took place at about the same time that Bucao was in the middle of organizing his team. In other words, if my caller was correct, it was Sir Eddie who asked Bucao to give way to him. Who knows there was an unwritten condition attached to it like in 2019, Sir Eddie would back Vice Mayor Bucao up. Indeed, if true, giving way was a favor Bucao did to Sir Eddie, which he could now use to pressure the incumbent into supporting his own bid for mayor.
Here is the postulate of my caller. Perhaps, the recent actions of Mr. Bucao in acting as if he were the mayor of Talisay City, were borne out of the belief that Sir Eddie is so indebted to him for giving way to him in the May 2016 elections that he would not mind the intrusion into his powers. The hands of Sir Eddie are, according to my caller, tied by the bond of gratitude. Gullas is an honorable man and he, my caller added, would honor a commitment to support Vice Mayor Bucao in 2019.
I said above that I could not personally validate the assertion that Sir Eddie asked Bucao to give way to him in the last elections. I happened to play a very minor role in the campaign and there was no such perception shared among us. When I told my caller about this observation, he seemed to correct himself. Actually, he said that what he told me came from Bucao himself. Now, I have a better view and all of these came because of my brief talk with Fred. Indeed, thank you, Fred.