Davao virus of treachery

Let’s begin by citing the normal environment attendant to peaceful elections in the Davao Region. Before the filing of the Certificates of Candidacy (CoC) in October last year the political climate in the region was humdrum.

In Davao City, the Duterte leadership was expected to be unchallenged after the announcement that past President Rodrigo Duterte would run for mayor.

In Davao del Norte, Rep. Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez, who heads the Partido Reporma, is ending his three terms as congressman of the 1st District and has made known his plan to run for vice governor. His factotum, incumbent governor Edwin Jubahib, is running for reelection.

In Davao de Oro, all the top incumbent political leaders now with either Lakas-CMD or Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) agreed to form a Unity Ticket and assure everyone of victory, no sweat.

Rep. Ruel Gonzaga of the 2nd District will run for governor and his wife Dorothy (the incumbent governor) for vice governor. Rep. Maricar Zamora will seek reelection in the 1st District while businessman Noe “Butchoy” Taojo will run in the 2nd District.

Incumbent Vice Gov. Tyrone Uy and his father, the former governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy, made the supreme sacrifice not to run to firm up the Unity Ticket.

All the prospects looked like they were handed silver platters when shortly before and after the filing of Certificates of Candidacy political infidelity and treachery ran swiftly through the greater part of the Davao Region.

In Davao City, the former Cabinet secretary and presidential spokesperson of PRRD, lawyer Karlo Nograles, filed his CoC for city mayor. He recruited his party members from the ruling Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, the party machinery of Duterte.

His recruits included Councilor Javier “Javi” Garcia Campos and Wilfredo Al-ag for congressman of the 2nd and 3rd districts, respectively.

Karlo then drafted City Councilor Bernard Al-ag to be his running mate. Incumbent party-list Representative Migs Nograles is running for Congress in the 1st District. He got it all covered except that he does not have a council slate.

In Davao del Norte, former Speaker Bebot Alvarez was jettisoned by Edwin Jubahib, the man he bankrolled to be elected governor. Jubahib fielded his daughter, Clarise, to be his running mate. Jilted and insulted, Alvarez is now endorsing Lakas-CMD gubernatorial bet Alan Dujali.

In a recent video message, Alvarez issued an apology to the electorate of Davao del Norte for having endorsed and supported Jubahib whom he described as incompetent with zero accomplishments.

The Unity Ticket in Davao de Oro is split right down the middle and irreconcilable. Maricar Zamora fielded her second hubby, Ruel Mabanglo, for governor and they declared their support for Jong Ceniza for congressman in the 2nd District.

Former Gov. Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy and his son, incumbent Vice Gov. Tyrone Uy, have aligned themselves with Gonzaga and Butchoy Taojo who are now likely to support Franco Tito, an independent candidate for Congress in the 1st District of Davao de Oro. Tito has the distinction of being personally endorsed by PRRD.

The collapse of the Unity Ticket in Davao de Oro had one sure casualty: House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Despite the millions of pesos splurged in the province, surveys showed he could hardly muster 15 percent support. This is because despite the “ayuda” only a select few politicians are getting richer, while the poor are poorer.