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THERE seems to be something amiss
in the way the current political campaign is going. It does not
appear to follow tradition, that is, the way political campaigns
start and go in this republic. I have seen how our politics of many
decades past developed and moved forward to their “glorious”
conclusion. The polls ended with charges and countercharges of
violence and fraud.
The current
one is going on in a rather unique manner, so much like the
children’s game of musical chairs. The aspirants and
reelectionists from the Senate down to the local level are all
playing the game. It is truly phenomenal how they are able to move
with ease in time with their respective gut music, prompting them to
go where financial support and assurance of victory will be. Like
ants to sugar, local candidates are attracted to political funds.
Right now,
political observers from our part of the nation are suddenly warily
askance at the political goings-on in the national capital.
What comes
immediately to mind when one talks of national politics, is how the
so-called “senatoriables” fielding themselves as candidates for
no other reason except that they want to be senator no matter what,
at any cost, even if they don’t know what to say or do in the
august body once they are elected. The important thing is that they
would be called senator. That is the way our Senate has become.
For instance,
there was the United Opposition (UNO) which brought together all
those opposed to President Arroyo. Now, suddenly, like an amoeba,
the UNO appeared to have split, and now, there is the Genuine
Opposition or GO. On the other hand, there is the administration’s
Team Unity. It is a hodgepodge troupe of new aspirants and former
senators who were former anti-GMA and some GMA loyalists.
One Cebu
Party
Gov. Gwen
Garcia was member of the pro-GMA Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats.
Recently, she came up with her own party called One Cebu party, and
resigned from the Lakas-CMD, but remains loyal to the President. She
keeps One Cebu open to anyone who will openly express opposition to
the breaking up of Cebu island into four component provinces.
But where’s
Cebu’s provincial opposition? So far, none has yet shown up. But
names have been floated as potential candidates for the various
provincial posts. Names mentioned include former governor Lito Osmeña,
but he claims he has no plans of joining the fray.
Cebu’s
cities are faring no better. It’s still up in the air who Mayor
Ouano’s challenger will be.
Businessman
Norberto Quisumbing who is alienated from Mayor Ouano’s
leadership, has reportedly won over Congresswoman Nerissa Soon Ruiz
to run against Mayor Ted Ouano’s son, while NQ’s grandson,
Provincial Board member Luigi Quisumbing takes over Soon-Ruiz’s
seat in Congress.
The Lakas-CMD
Sixth District chairmanship has been taken from Mayor Ouano, a
report says. It was done without prior notice and fanfare by the
Lakas leadership, and given to Luigi. This move means that Ouanos
have fallen from grace with Lakas. Now, as Lakas-CMD district
chairman, Luigi would be signing party nomination certificates. And
he could challenge Ms. Soon-Ruiz for the district’s seat if he
wants to. But Ms. Ruiz is still a member of Kampi, the President’s
party. So, how do you decide the case?
What seems to
be the grave problem is that most, if not all, of our present crop
of political aspirants have no ideological direction in their
politics. This is probably why many of our senatorial hopefuls are
undecisive about the party or group they will join.
While they may
have won election to the position they hold on the wings of a
political group, they really do not cotton to any personal political
philosophy or that of the party, probably because the party does not
also have any. There seems to be no solid, valid causes that could
bind our political aspirants together.
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