Five names appeared on the list of congressional bets for Benguet. Now, except for a businessman-politician from the south who took undue advantage of the death of another, what makes that political seat so warm and appealing is a mystery.
Whoever was instrumental in urging another bet with a three-letter surname to file his certificate of candidacy for a congressional seat in Benguet had a malicious trick up his sleeves. He is now up against the sturdy walls of Vice Governor Ericson “Tagel” Felipe and the incumbent congressman with the same surname as him.
Two other wannabes filed their CoCs for congress, however, I see their chances as slim. What worries a peaceful mind is the possibility that the rest of the Yap votes might be used to employ the unsolved computerized “dagdag-bawas” trick in favor of the other mono-syllabic surname.
By the way, colleagues in the media business, if you know what I am saying, are up and vigorous again. I can see that in the articles and broadcasts they have been printing and airing. My buddies print and air just anything that promotes their paying client, including promises that are beautiful to hear but hardly fulfilled. Yes, it is the season for lying.
For the position of governor, four true-blue Benguet boys filed their CoCs, including former vice governor Johnny Diwas Waguis who, to my mind, will give the incumbent a chance to spend the money that contractors had been setting aside for him. Let us change the way things are in Benguet and in this world while we can. Get rid of the crooked politicians.
For vice governor of Benguet, at least four CoCs were filed, including one that belonged to Nelson Cagas Dangwa, another former vice governor. Forget the other three for now as their names are not worth mentioning at the moment. I am certain, Nelson is the man to beat, considering his humility and meekness. The others are the exact opposite.
For provincial board members, ten names appeared for district one consisting of the southern municipalities of Benguet, while 11 CoCs were filed for district two.
For district one, my cousins on my mother’s side, Alexander T. Fianza, Thomas K. Wales Jr. and Myrna T. Nazarro, along with my padre Johnny G. Galutan can fight well for what their district towns need. And they do not have to adopt a foreigner for their cause, much less sell their “kailyan,” because they have a true-blue brother to promote.
For district two, consider Jim G. Botiwey, Alexander C. Castañeda, Angelyn S. Bugtong, Keith M. Thorrsson, Joel B. Tingbaoen Jr., Romeo K. Salda, Ruben L. Tinda-an, Neptali B. Camsol, Manny E. Fermin and Armando I. Lauro, in any order. Next time, we will write about the mayors and who I should endorse.
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I stand corrected partly about the inquiries in aid of legislation in the Senate and House of Representatives. Congressman Abante of the Quad Comm in Congress was thinking of the same thing when I said their inquiry was in aid of prosecution.
“Come-backing” former Senator Ping Lacson also clarified, and in some way confirmed, that the inquiries indeed help bring to light the details of what transpired behind the issues that could be used in the filing of cases in court.
This is also the reason why the public says “walang nangyayari” after the inquiries are finished because filing cases is no longer the role of the legislative bodies. That is exactly why it is called “in aid of legislation.”
Others call the hearings “in aid of prosecution,” as the honorables want to establish the guilt of the resource person or the witness being questioned, even becoming the judges and prosecutors at the same time. But it is clear that a legislative inquiry should be “in aid of legislation,” not to conduct a trial or make any judgment.
But what is happening now is that when a committee member does not hear a favorable answer, he accuses the witness of lying and cites the person in contempt. True, the power to cite in contempt a resource person is in the rules of a congressional hearing which is necessary for them to perform and complete their function of inquiry in aid of legislation.
But ex-Senator Lacson said the inquiry should be done properly. The way many of us see it now is that the lawmakers are using the contempt threat to squeeze out the answer that they want to hear even when the resource person is already telling the truth.
