Warlord of Politics

Hole of Justice
by Peter G. Jimenea


The Warlord of Politics



Iloilo have three warring political Kingpins wanting to lord over the Provincial Capitol (I love to call Kingdom by the River). They are Gov. Arthur Defensor, Sr. of the Third District, former Gov. Niel D. Tupas, Sr. of the Fifth and Cong. Oscar Garin, the younger one from the Southern Iloilo’s First District.



But luck seems elusive to Garin. He failed to capture the throne from the elder Tupas of the North. Later, however, Tupas was defeated by Defensor, a Lakas Party candidate with the help of Fourth District Cong. Ferjenil Biron. Besides, Defensor’s tandem with Prince Richard Garin as running mate propelled their easy victory.



Whatever agreement forged by Defensor and Biron prior to the election, only God knows. But when Defensor announced a reelection, it stirs the peace at the Fourth District. Cong. Biron also announced that he will run for governor of the province under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Vice Pres. Jojo Binay.



Feared by the threat of Biron’s victory, DILG Sec. Mar Roxas, head of the Liberal Party, tapped the services of the “butterfly of Phil. politics” to unite the three warlords from the First, Third and Fifth Districts under the umbrella of Liberal party. They welcome the plan. Tupas agreed, cites no reason.



The sudden decision of the three warring kingpins to unite under the umbrella of the Liberal Party has shocked the loyalists of Defensor and Tupas. It creates an impression without affirming the perception that they were abandoned by their bosses in exchange for …you know what!



On the other hand, Cong. Augusto “Boboy” Syjuco of the Second District said he would rather lose the battle at his turf if he cannot deliver the victory for Biron. Another inspiration for Biron, add to that, the reality that majority of mayors in the Fifth District are now with him, only two for Tupas and his Liberal Party.



The problem is, supporters and loyalists of Tupas may vote only for his son Raul the vice governor but not for Defensor. They perceived the succession of Cong. Toto Defensor, Jr. and father if the latter wins to place their Raul Tupas, beyond the parameters of the probable successors or heir to the throne.



Observers see no sincerity in this unity of warlords. They noticed a camaraderie-with-a-distance already prevailing this early. Their worst problem is confined in logistics which cannot disturb the camp of the unperturbed Biron. No wonder why the 2013 budget was hurriedly passed by the SP as if passengers catching the last plane out!



Look, Garin is also confronted by the growing strong oppositions at his district. He cannot just ignore the popularity of Miag-ao Mayor julieta Flores, the wife of Iloilo Provincial Board Member Gerry Flores. The lady mayor will throw her hat in the race for congress this election 2013.



A sudden grouping of the best of enemies into friends is a hollow alliance. Wise men say, fear not the devil you know than the devil you don’t. If election result is bad for the triumvirate, the torture of bad conscience means nothing to them, neither hell of their living souls.

Gov. Defensor may have sang the song of Whitney Houston “One Moment in Time,” for his friend Biron. But the latter won’t heed, instead, he also played a song by Barbara Striesand the lyrics of which say, “we live for the future, we’ve learned from the past. No matter how hard we try some good things never last!”



That’s it. Biron may have some ax to grind against Defensor. Being young, he dares the ageing Defensor, a strong signal for the other two who are also junior citizens to rest from politics. “Death is not the greatest loss of life. The greatest loss of life is what dies inside them while they still live.”