I spent 26 years, six months and 21 days in the government service without incurring a single day of absence or tardiness from work. For 17 years, while in the military service, I fought against the enemies of the state, as life in a democratic society is far more better than under a totalitarian government. I fought against Martial Law and was imprisoned as a political detainee in Basco from 05 October 1972 to 05 March 1973 – the longest detention in the province. I also fought against two abusive constabulary officers and one police officer here in our province, and succeeded in booting them out of the service. But as the old adage goes, “when I am right, no one remembers: when I am wrong, nobody forgets!”
On 12 August 2009, Gov. Telesforo F. Castillejos, dropped by noontime. Without the usual amenities, he asked me to run under his Lakas-Kampi-CMD Coalition. To cut the conversation short, I told him of the probability of my running: (1) If Mayor Ramon A. Elizondo runs for reelection, I’d go for the sangguniang panlalawigan (SP); (2) If the Mayor does not run, I’d go for mayor; and (3) If the mayor does not run, but the party gets another candidate, I would not run under his political party.
The next day, I visited the mayor and he said in part: “ x x x I am not running, as I have already told our political leaders. I will run instead for the sangguniang bayan.” I prodded him into running instead for vice mayor, since he was an incumbent mayor. I also told him that if he ran for the SB and he lost, that would not be too pleasant an experience for him. He said, the SB was the easy way to get to the provincial legislature. Besides, he said, he will never loss in the race for the SB. I told him that the governor does not yet know of his plans. And he retorted: “I have not told him because, you know, I have an agreement with Titong Barona that he would run instead next year (2010), so unless I hear from him, I cannot tell the governor.”
That afternoon, I went to see the governor and told him of my conversation with the mayor. The governor said that: “unless Monching tells me, that he will not run, I cannot support any other candidate for mayor.”
On 29 August 2010, the group of Rep. Diasnes, held a meeting at the outskirts of our town. Mr. Barona arrived that day from Cebu, where he resides, purposely for the meeting. In that meeting, he was reportedly introduced as the group’s candidate for vice mayor.
Early morning of 31 August, I visited again the mayor and asked him if he has any information about the rival group’s meeting two nights before. He said, he did not. So, I told him that his running mate in the 2007 elections, whom he said he has an understanding of running in his stead in the 2010 elections, has already aligned himself with Diasnes’ group. I asked him, to endorse me in his stead, if he is not running after all. He said, he cannot endorse me, but would leave it to the governor to choose his replacement.
Returning home, I immediately consulted my family, and they were very enthusiastic about my candidacy under the governor’s slate. In the next few days, I also consulted with my known die-hard supporters and relatives. Not one of them discouraged me into running for mayor.
In the meeting of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD at the Batanes Resort on 21 October and in the presence of the governor, his vice gubernatorial and Congressional candidates, Mayor Ramon A. Elizondo, declared that he was NOT running for reelection! But the governor was not yet ready to give up on the “good” mayor. He accordingly advised the mayor to think about his decision again and that they would meet again for that purpose very soon.
The mayor said, he would not attend any further meeting, to which SB Anthony Barsana, a resident of Uyugan, but still makes pakialam in our locality, said: “x x x But even if you will not attend, you will accept whatever the outcome of the meeting will be?” The mayor reportedly said, he would attend but would come late.
And so on 28 October, in Barangay San Vicente, the final meeting was held. During that meeting, a party stalwart allegedly told all and sundry that it was only Ramon Elizondo who could be the party’s candidate and no one else. After saying that, and probably upon signal, the mayor suddenly appeared. He was told of the remarks and thus the mayor accepted the challenge for him to run for reelection.
Five reasons have encouraged me to continue with my quest for the mayorship.
1. The dominant opposition party, the Liberal Party, has been weakened by the split caused by Vice Mayor Leonardo Hostallero’s acceptance to lead the group of Rep. Diasnes in the next elections.
Former Mayor Anstacio A. Barsana, who is the LP candidate for mayor, and
Hostallero, were former party mates. Hostallero’s original supporters’
withdrawal of support for Barsana is a big blow to the latter.
2. Cheating in the forthcoming elections maybe minimized, with the onset of the automated elections. The old trick of distributing sample ballots (with identifying marks, names or symbols) will no longer work this time;
3. Without any means of checking or monitoring if a voter cast his vote for a particular candidate, the practice of vote-buying may also not work anymore;
4. I have die-hard supporters who are aware that I have no money to spend, much more pay for their votes, but they have always cast their votes for me. They are principled and they believe in my program of government.
5. I have a program of government: a program to alleviate the lives of our constituents. I am a candidate, because I want to serve and not to earn, so I will have money to support myself and family!I am also running, because I want to interrupt the belief of my opponents that God anointed them to be the only ones to determine the future of our beloved Ivana. Akala nila, pinagkaloob sa kanila ng ating Mahal na Panginoon na sila-sila na lang ang magpatakbo ng ating pamayanan at habang buhay silang manunungkulan!
And because they believed that they are righteous, and the chosen two, they are the ones who tell us who would be the next person to govern us! Look at this:
Candidate Elizondo, as early as 2007, had said that his running mate was going to run for mayor in this year’s elections! After six years as mayor, what has he done to improve our lives? And yet, he has the temerity to run again and seek another three more years to misgovern us! His mother was mayor from 1972 to 1993.
Candidate Barsana has publicly told everybody, that he is good for only three more years and in the next elections, his vice mayoralty candidate will run in his stead! He has been our mayor for nine years. What has he done to improve our lives? And yet, he is asking for three more years. His reason is obvious. He has served the government for nine years as mayor, three years as vice mayor. He only needs three more years to qualify for retirement.
I appeal to everyone to give me the chance to serve you, the people of Ivana. I ask for only three years. Kung natiis na natin and siyam na taon at anim na taong sarili lamang nila ang inatupad, kaya naman natin siguro and tatlong taon paninilbihan ng isang may kakahayan at nagmamahal sa bayan at kapwa.
To become Mayor is not my obsession. Nanghihinayang lang ako sa malaking pondo na pinagkakaloob ng pamahalang national sa ating bayan sa pamamagitan ng Internal Revenue Allotment, na hindi nagagamit sa pagpapaunlad sa ating pamayanan.
Hindi ko hangad na maging punong bayan para kumita. Makatulong sa inyo ang pakay ko
With your support, I will fight to win this election, so that together, we can chart a new and better future for our community.
