By Alex P. Vidal
“Win or lose, we go shopping after the election.”—Imelda Marcos
BELOW are some of the interesting facts in the recent local election in Iloilo prepared by media practitioner Jerry Taclino:
VERY CLOSE ENCOUNTERS in Iloilo and Guimaras: some won or lost “by the skin of their teeth” in the recent elections.
Just 2 votes separated the winner Jun Cordero who scored 6,935 against Wilme Denila who got 6,933 votes for the vice mayorship of San Lorenzo town in Guimaras province.
In Maasin, Iloilo Dok Etik Albacete won as vice mayor with 10,675 votes, while the other contender Sweet Malones-Sanchez had 10,331 or a difference of 344 votes.
A very close fight for mayor of San Dionisio, Iloilo also attended the race between incumbent Jon-jon Bajada and Doc V Villanueva.
Bajada won with 10,440 votes against Villanueva’s 10,282 votes, or 158 votes separating the two.
As reported here earlier, only the showdown for Igbaras town mayor were closer where Juvic Escorpion edged out the incumbent Jaime Esmeralda by 117 votes.
In the vote-rich town Oton, Iloilo political newbie Sofronio Fusin Jr. upset the come backing Vincent Flores for the mayorship.
Fusin won by a margin of 457 with 18,430 votes against Flores’ 17,973 votes. (Read more: www.hilwaynews.com)
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If she is as good as her former mentor, the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, retired Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon can easily wiggle out from the case for violation of the anti-graft law, the code of conduct for public officials and employees and the Revised Penal Code filed by fellow lawyer Ferdinand Topacio.
In her heyday, the fire-spewing Defensor-Santiago lambasted the high and mighty but were abusive and corrupt in government.
Because of her reputation, no one dared to retaliate viciously or legally.
Bad guys and gals tormented by the late brilliant daughter of Iloilo City feared her like a lion.
They never filed a case against her if their intention was only to exact revenge.
Not in Guanzon’s case.
Now that she is on the opposite site of the fence with the sudden turn of political events, so many of her nemesis now want to slice her to pieces.
Topacio’s complaint said Guanzon’s revelations of information relating to the disqualification case of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. from the presidential race were “premature public disclosures (that) were made without authority or justifiable reasons.”
Guanzon considered the case filed by Topacio and another lawyer Diego Magpantay representing the group Citizen’s Crime Watch as a retaliatory act after she reportedly sued Topacio for libel and unjust vexation in Bacolod City.
Knowing her caliber, we expect Guanzon to trounce Topacio and Magpantay in this dubious legal battle.
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In the Philippines, a mere possession of a piece of bullet even from a paltik revolver will send someone in jail.
A bullet seized from a travel bag of an OFW in the airport can dash his dreams of working abroad to pieces.
In the United States, anyone with legal age can possess both the firearm and bullets.
It’s because of the Second Amendment in the U.S. Constitution, which has been abused by mentally deranged individuals who ran berserk and shoot innocent civilians.
Like the recent carnage in Uvalde, Texas where an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 elementary pupils and their two female teachers.
It’s good that gun control measure is strictly being implemented in the Philippines. It’s about time Uncle Sam followed suit.
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)
