MAMBULAOANS on Facebook have launched an early campaign for the Sangguniang Bayan candidates of the two contending political parties.
Based on messages posted on Facebook group “Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte”, the bone of contention is whether or not Mambulao voters should go straight for the candidates of PDP/Laban/PMP-United Nationalist Alliance led by re-election candidate Mayor Ricarte Padilla.
Padilla and incumbent Vice-Mayor Ariel (Aye) Non, who are both seeking a second term in office, are contesting against the candidates of the Liberal Party led by former mayor William A Lim, who is running for the office of the vice-mayor.
LP-Mambulao is not fielding a candidate for the mayor’s office, leaving Padilla unopposed.
Padilla supporters are batting for the so-called “8-0 push” for administration’s SB candidates that would mean the ouster from the municipal council of the two incumbent SB members -- Pompe D Guzman and Rodrigo Ultra -- who are both seeking re-election.
Mambulao’s municipal council is composed of eight members with the vice-mayor as the presiding officer and a tie-breaker during voting.
The administration’s SB candidates are as follows:
Aristeo E Arena (re-electionist), Romeo M Arenal (re-electionist), Sarah Marie Aviado (re-electionist); Ramil S Ybarola (re-electionist), Carlos R Taboada (re-electionist), Felino M Schneider (re-electionist), Mark del Pilar (2010 losing SB candidate) and Eddie Evangelista (businessman)
The LP-Mambulao’s candidates: Casiano O Dilao, Guzman, Ultra, Edgar T Arjite (Sta Milagrosa baranggay chairman),Grace Villa Blanca (former Santa Elena chairperson), Tres Panganiban (recent university graduate), Artemio Andaya (former JP-SB member) and Enrico Solis (Salvacion baranggay chairman).
The independent candidates: Ditz “Dida” R Abano (South Poblacion baranggay chairman), Jason J Arriola (Bagong-bayan baranggay chairman), R Bataller (Pag-asa baranggay kagawad), Ariel Villaflores (Parang baranggay kagawad).
Facebook-based supporters of both political parties did not argue over the candidates for the office of the vice-mayor, more or less conceding that Non, who is riding on a party platform of graft-free governance, transparency and effective service to Mambulaoans, could win by landslides against Lim.
Posted arguments focused mainly on the issue of a council run by 100% Padilla men against one which includes two or more members from the LP, who would “provide the so-called check and balances”.
Supporters of the “8-0 push” said that the much-needed development and progress in Mambulao is gradually taking place as could be seen from the massive infrastructure projects that aim to build concrete roads, farm-to-market roads and bridges all over the municipality alongside a lot more of other people-focused programs.
Padilla launched a massive road building and concreting and skills training program for the youth of Mambulao as soon as he assumed office on July 1, 2010.
“We cannot afford to delay these projects, or stall them forever, by electing to the municipal council one or two of the candidates of the Liberal Party whose main aims are to do just that …” one message said.
On the other hand, one message-poster argued that the SB needs young members who could inject fresh ideas on how to bring development to Mambulao.
“We need fresh blood and new ideas to spur development in the municipality,” the message said.
However, one post dismissed this, saying that under the context of development and progress in Mambulao, which has been spurred by a council dominated by the members from the Padilla administration, “fresh blood and young SB members are quite irrelevant for now”.
“Progress has come to Mambulao because the municipal council is controlled by people under the incumbent administration who are orchestrating development the way it is happening now.”
“Mambulao should vote straight for Mayor Dong’s candidate to make sure that the progress we are now seeing and would soon be enjoying, is totally sealed and completed.”
One Facebooker posted a message alleging that one of the two incumbent SB members from LP had been “tainted” with anomalies when he was a member of the municipal council during the time of ex-mayor Lim.
The message poster alleged that the SB member in question had benefited from the generosity of Lim’s administration by secretly renting his transport vehicles to the municipal government at an outrageous price.
However, it was publicly announced that “it was a public service gesture” from the council member, the post continued.
Another message has alleged that one former SB member (an LP), during Lim’s time as mayor was involved in hazy deals on municipal government’s contracts on public works.
“These are just some reasons why Mambulaoans should not let them get elected in the May local elections,” one Facebook message said.
And another thing, which is “equally important”, the post continued: “The candidates from LP have no place in a graft-free, transparent regime installed by Mayor Dong Padilla.”
Lim, according MWBuzz sources, will work to oust four of the six administration SB members to neutralize the council during the conduct of votes on vital municipal government project initiatives.
The aim, the source said, is to frustrate whatever Padilla intends to do, especially on his development projects.
With him as the vice-mayor, plus his four SB members that would include Guzman and Ultra, they make a total of five votes against administration members’ four votes.
However, Padilla’s camp dismissed Lim’s claim, saying that the incumbent vice-mayor Non will “rubbish him” across Mambulao.
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