Political endgames: The Aklan mayor’s case

LAST-minute gambits in Phil­ippine politics can impact on election outcomes. The most interesting of such cases trans­pired in 1992 when then House Speaker Ramon Mitra Jr., lead­ing comfortably in surveys and concededly the next president, unceremoniously lost his bid.

Mitra’s expected win suddenly vanished when just days before election day, a report exploded claiming he used the facilities of Congress to produce campaign materials. He failed to recover and survive the virulent publicity against him. Erstwhile Defense Secretary Fidel Ramos won the elections.

Last May 6, similar political end­games drama exploded. First, Pe­ter Joemel Advincula, the “Bikoy” in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist,” ex­pose surfaced, identified himself and sought legal assistance from the Integrated Bar of the Philip­pines. Promptly, Malacanang discredited and linked him to the opposition. His courage to expose himself to danger caught the public imagination even as subse­quent developments have placed in doubt its eventual results.

Second, in Davao City, Jeffrey Lopez Cabigon, a former close-in security aide of deposed House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Davao del Norte gubernatorial contender Edwin Jubalib, filed a plunder case before the Ombuds­man against his former boss.

And third, Malay, Aklan Mayor Ceciron Cawaling was unceremo­niously dismissed from office over Boracay island’s mismanagement mess. After having been suspend­ed for six months, Cawaling was served his dismissal order just when he was about to reassume office. He was one 17 provincial and municipal officials charged for misconduct and mismanagement of the famous Boracay which belongs to Malay town.

Cawaling promptly filed a mo­tion for reconsideration. His legal counsel, Atty. Jose Roder­ick Fernando clarified in a press conference last Sunday that Cawaling remains qualified to run for Malay mayor and even cited the statement of DILG Under­secretary Epimaco Densing, the complainant in the Ombudsman case that Cawaling can still run for Mayor, as there is no provision that prevents him from doing so. Densing even said that if Cawal­ing wins anew, he would be al­lowed to assume office, but DILG will continue to monitor what he does as Mayor.

During the press conference, Cawaling’s entire slate led by his vice mayoralty partner Fromy Bautista, and Sangguniang Bayan bets were all present and ex­pressed their total support for Cawaling, who has been drawing tremendous sympathy because of the timing of his suspension and dismissal.

However one views politi­cal endgames during election campaign, they convey the reality that behind their partisan façades, candidates still retain winning ways.

Regarding his plans if re-elect­ed mayor, Cawaling said he would seek the help of all stakeholders, including all relevant government agencies and institutions to make Malay the first city of Aklan and make Boracay island more at­tractive and remain as pride of Filipinos. He appealed to Malay folks to remain calm and abide by legitimate orders.

Lawyer Fernando, for his part, assured Malay voters of the legal validity of Cawaling’s candidacy. The people need to delve more deeply into political endgames cases.