By Alex P. Vidal
“Turn on to politics, or politics will turn on you.”— Ralph Nader
IN any electoral battle, the concurrently dominant Defensor political clan in Iloilo can always afford to tandem with lesser-knowns, or with a rival clan, the Tupases in the fifth district that, for awhile, became a force to reckon with province-wide; and, yes, soon with the newfangled Gorriceta clan in the first district.
But the Defensors will never take a “risk” of eating on the same plate politically with the incalculable Biron clan if the main purpose is only to secure the Bastille from the aggressive but oftentimes fluky Garin clan.
Not yet—as long as the Garins are well-organized, able, willing, ready, and determined to launch a phalanx assault to wrest Capitol, the only top prize that has eluded the Garins since the late patriarch, Oscar “Oca” Garin’s failed bid after being crushed by the late former Governor Niel Tupas Sr. in 2001.
Because of the Garins’ reputation, all organized political dynasties in Iloilo—small and big (Defensor, Tupas, Palmares, Flores, Salcedo, Gorriceta, Parcon, Panes, Palabrica, and probably Biron)—maybe willing to merge and forge a short-term or interim partnership just to put away the intimidating Garins.
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But even after scoring a colossal win against the Biron’s patriarch, Iloilo fourth district Rep. Ferjenel “Dr. Ferj”, in the 2019 gubernatorial contest, Iloilo Governor Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. and his clan still fear Attila the Hun and the nomadic warriors.
In whatever calculation, the Defensors are aware of the growing danger they face if the Birons continue to amass success after success gradually in the much-vaunted fourth district and in the “smaller” but vote-rich municipalities and territories.
Next to the Garins, the Defensors think the biggest existential threat comes from the advancing Biron clan that plots, organizes, and moves like the ancient Visigoths and Gepids.
Only after the Defensors’ last of the Mohicans, Iloilo third district Rep. Lorenz, has been installed in the capitol to replace his big brother, Governor Toto—after the latter’s third and final term (assuming the governor walks past his rival in the 2025 election), will the Defensors’ “insecurity” toward the Huns, Visigoths and Gepids combined be finally over.
Thus, it’s a hogwash to expect Governor Defensor to team up with a Biron son or any family member in the 2025 gubernatorial election (for purposes of forestalling the Garins).
A Biron win for vice governor in 2025 will put Dr. Ferj’s horses in the Brandenburg Gate and ultimately ignite Iloilo’s Battle of Thermopylae in the coming elections thereafter, imperiling the much-talked about and highly anticipated “Lorenz Defensor for governor 2028” game plan.
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“It’s fine if no one has noticed your talent. Less attention means less envy and less jealousy. Look at the fools and the mediocre who think the applause of false friends is enough to confirm their false honor and false crown.” #alexpvidalquotes
HOMO SAPIEN THE BEST. The evolution of human thought is among homo sapien’s best contributions to civilization.
GOD AS EBERGY. Energy in the universe is already fixed; it can neither be added nor reduced. God is energy. He is in the river of molecules, river of intelligence, river of atoms running in our veins. Energy controls all the planets, constellations, galaxies in the universe that’s why they don’t collide. God is Energy, Energy is God–the Universal God (not just the God of people on Earth).
HOW ABOUT ALBERT’S BRAIN? In “Brocka’s Brain”, the late author Carl Sagan claimed that the brain of Dr. Paul Brocka, a genius scientist, had been preserved and was once displayed somewhere in France. How about Einstein’s brain? Was Paul more famous than Albert?
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)
