Typhoons in Luzon; storm in Iloilo

Sunday, the sun shone brightly all over the Philippines. Alleluia! There were intermittent rains in some parts of Luzon. But on the whole, the weather was good. The Department of Education ordered the resumption of classes on Monday except in those areas where there are still floods and in schools still occupied by evacuees.

TV news dwell on the typhoon Ondoy experiences and footages of the devastations wrought by typhoon Pepeng as it lashed Northern Luzon last Saturday afternoon. Typhoon Pepeng was indeed a super typhoon.

Iloilo was spared from the typhoons. But last week the sky was overcast and there were also heavy rains in Iloilo.

And a storm has been brewing in Iloilo for weeks already. And this storm is comical, entertaining, and many times stupid and pathetic. The storm I am referring to is in the field of politics. Elections may still be eight months from now. But to a true blue politician, May 2010 is just some weeks away. Politicians have started getting the voters’ attention months ago.

Currently in the eye of the political storm is incumbent Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas, Sr. Since last week, local radio stations have been airing his alleged misuse of government equipment in building his resthouse at Brgy. Juanico, Banate, Iloilo. Local TV stations showed video clips and photographs of dump trucks, a grader and a bulldozer working in the governor’s house. The green dump trucks are marked “Province of Iloilo” while the blue grader and bulldozer bear the official seal of the Banate municipal government.


In a radio interview, Tupas said the trucks never got near his house. But when shown with copies of the pictures, he said he only invited the drivers to have coffee and snacks when the heavy equipment passed by his house as they were getting quarry materials from a quarry site nearby. He added that the issue was politically-motivated.

It must be recalled that early this year, Gov. Tupas established a house at Brgy. Juanico and transferred his voter’s registration to the same barangay in preparation for his candidacy for congressman of the 4th congressional district of Iloilo opposite incumbent Rep. Ferjenel Biron. Gov. Tupas is on his third and last term as governor. The 1987 constitution limits the term of local officials to three 3-year terms.



As the alluded source of the video and pictures, Rep. Ferjenel Biron, in a radio interview, hedged the accusation, and rather lambasted Tupas for allegedly stashing so much ill-gotten wealth. In so many words, he questioned the capability of Tupas to build multi-million-peso houses on his capitol salary of P38,000 a month. He asked something like ‘Ano gid bala ang business ni Tupas nga nagmanggaranon gid siya?’ Biron, a medical doctor, owns a drug company and a chain of pharmaceutical outlets.

I would like to stress that the first time I heard about Biron was in the 2004 elections. It was the first election I witnessed since I transferred for good to the Philippines. In that election, I think the dirtiest was in the 4th congressional district of Iloilo, between Ferjenel Biron and Jesry Palmares who were running for Congressman. The fourth district might be far from Jaro where I live, but the radio and TV airtimes were inundated with political black propaganda of the two candidates against each other. The attacks were so vicious, I wondered how the two protagonists could still face the people with dignity after the elections.

If Tupas is graduating, who are aspiring to be the next Iloilo governor?

When typhoon Ondoy was bringing floods to Luzon, politicians in Iloilo were also flooding the halls of Hotel del Rio in Iloilo City to hear Congressman Arthur Defensor, Sr. and Board Member Richard Garin announce their decision to run for governor and vice governor, respectively, in the May 2010 elections. Defensor said that he has decided to run again for governor (he was Iloilo governor from 1992 to 2001) to “bring back the trust and confidence of the people on the provincial government.” He added there are reasons “to put an end to the continuity of the present leadership and restore faith and dignity among our people.”

By trust and confidence, he apparently refers to persistent reports of graft and corruption committed by the Tupas administration as reported in the media. And by continuity, of course he refers to incumbent Barotac Viejo Mayor Raul “Boboy” Tupas, Gov. Tupas’ son and anointed one.

Raul Tupas is reportedly running for Iloilo governor. His running mate is former Vice Governor Obet Armada. Surprise? If you recall, it was Armada who was overtly atat-na-atat to kick out Gov. Tupas during the capitol siege in 2007, when the military barged into the Iloilo capitol by breaking a glass wall to bodily drag Tupas out of the governor’s office. Tupas was suspended by the Ombusman for corruption. Defenders said he was suspended because he withdrew his support from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo following the "Hello Garci" controversy. At the time of the capitol siege, Armada was the vice governor. He ran for governor, but lost, against incumbent Niel Tupas. Now, he will run again, but this time in tandem with the Tupas son. Oh, well, politics is addition.

And in Iloilo City?

Vice Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog officially declared his intention to run for mayor of Iloilo City at the auditorium of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV). He will run against Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzales, Sr. and Presidential Assistant on Water Lorenzo Jamora. Gonzales was vocal about his plan to run for Iloilo City Mayor even while sitting as Justice Secretary. At that time, when asked about a possible clash with Mabilog, his partymate, he sounded boastful and confident. Bisan pila pa kuno ka Mabilog, or words to that effect. Now, that Mabilog has announced his mayoral bid, Gonzales sounded bitter and betrayed. He could tolerate being pitted with another elderly like Jamora but not with someone who could be younger than his son.

Lately, the two mayoral aspirants attacked each other’s declarations of Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN). The two accused each other of doctoring their SALN. And more skeletons from the closet will soon surface out. Abangan.

And the congressmen for the lone district of Iloilo City? It was tauted before that Iloilo City will be divided into 2 districts to accommodate Mayor Jerry Treñas who is in his third and last term as Iloilo City mayor. The incumbent congressman of Iloilo City is Raul Gonzales, Jr. But the bill is still in limbo as it is deemed unconstitutional.

Treñas is supposed to seek a higher position. But he is a sure loser if he runs as senator. So, congressman it must be. But he cannot yet announce his intention. He does not like to act ingrato kuno to Gonzales Sr. who said that Treñas owed his being mayor to him. Treñas and Gonzales Sr. and Jr. are in the same party. So Treñas cannot run under his party because of the incumbency rule. Besides Gonzales is a party bigwig. And how about Treñas’ P130-M Pavia housing scam? Raul could be holding some aces. But there is a signature drive in the city to ask Treñas to run for congressman. The group expects to gather 5,000 to 10,000 signatures by first week of October. So who said Treñas is not doing anything? Bisan ano basta ikaw ang topiko ka mga tawo.

But I think, the most awaited fight is in the fifth congressional district. Vice Governor Rolex Suplico is reportedly running against his cousin Niel Junjun Tupas, the incumbent and the governor’s son. Who said that blood is thicker than water? I pity the two. When they were kids, the first cousins might be the constant playmates, the best of friends with one ready to suffer bruises and black eyes to defend the other in a kiddy fight. Now that they are older, more mature, professionals, and able to discern right from wrong, they become bitter enemies. Everyone is awaiting what muck, dirt, and family heirloom will fly in the fifth district. Indeed, familiarity breeds contempt.

And have you heard this news? A graduating town mayor who is a sure loser if he runs in a higher office, is running as vice mayor instead. He is scouting for a winnable mayoral candidate to support and to run with. But there is a catch – the mayoral candidate must agree to serve only for one term because this graduating mayor plans to run again as mayor after three years. Noting that power is addictive, so far none of those eyed agreed to the scheming mayor’s agendum. And the mayor's wife who was rumoured to succeed her husband was too pragmatic to resign from her job. The mayor also parted ways with his partymate and long-time vice mayor because of the one-term issue. Ang friend niya nga SB nga popular pero masakiton, indi man kay hadlok mapatay sa hapo sa kumpanya. Amo na ang iya problema – ang makakita ti kandidato nga pang one term lang. Pero sin-o nga politico ang indi kapit-toko?

So, there. In politics, your dear friend today is your worst enemy tomorrow. And your bitter rival yesterday could be your ardent partymate today. Like typhoon Ondoy, sa politika weather-weather lang yan.

My friend wanted the campaign period to be now already. She likes to be shocked and at the same time to be entertained. Nakakasawa daw and telenovela.@