Opinion: A Political Battle Royale?
BETWEEN MAYOR LEONARDIA AND DR. ANTHONY GOLEZ? A great battle royale of
unequal proportion appears to be shaping up between Mayor Evelio Leonardia and
Of course, the battlelines are drawn, with Leonardia doing his best to prepare the machinery and at this point in time, also resorting to propaganda to upend his political tandem and ally in the last election. There are issues which are used as venues for removing the political luster from either side.
Bacoleños would have preferred fresh blood with Leonardia almost 12 years in political power, Golez barely three years. Once Golez defeats Leonardia in the coming 2013 election, he would achieve the fearsome reputation of giant-killer something Leonardia could probably not live down.
Here, we add furthermore gut realities common to both sides, either Leonardia or Golez. The talks and long-standing is that Leonardia has perfected the system of what many people say, are using the barangays and the city hall casuals, during election time. He has also perfected the method of accumulating funds because he took in people like Hugo "Tutay" Corral, Jose "Peping" Villanueva and Goldwyn Nifras, plus many key people, and who have particularly mastered the art of obeisance by his people using hordes of casual and job order casuals for his election and re-election campaign strategy and tactics. Ask whistleblower Sarah Teresa Esguerra, retired police officer Victor Eduardo, Reynaldo "Butch" Ebreo, Romy Niere, Inday Fabruada, Ma. Teresa "Matet" Lozada, Media practitioner Franklin Villanueva and Ray Carmona, wannabe councilor and many more political punsters.
The mayor can employ or had employed as many as 10,000 people in the period leading to the election and one only adds four or five, the others being members of their family and voila! There is a multiplication of voters in his favor during elections. The people, indeed, are being cooked in their own oil.
On the part of Golez, his is a fresh face, fresh outlook and one who has a bright future ahead of him. He is what Bacolod needs with still some years in office, but in such a short period has accomplished so much.
Golez have many projects in the barangays, is expanding the regional hospital facilities, has caused the construction and renovation of the once moribund Banago Port, and as Bacolod’s representative in Congress, has made Bacoleños proud.
A battle royale shaping up? You bet, your bottom peso, there is. Talks regarding the issue as to who was responsible for both victories during the last election is still being debated. Of course, and this will be resolved in the coming 2013 election.
Tell you me. But, indeed!*
