Big trouble in Little China
The manifesto signed by Catigbian Mayor Bert Salinas and company that declared loss of confidence to the provincial leadership of Cong. Edgar Chatto and the national leadership of Lakas-Kampi spells big trouble in Little China.
Apart from the fact that he losses the support of the mayors who signed the petition, Chatto also stands to lose those who sympathize with the signatories to the petition.
In the 2nd district for instance, he losses vote-rich Inabanga, plus votes from Danao, Dagohoy and
This means he will be forced to rely on the “parallel organization” of Cong. Ondoy Cajes to recoup his losses. I wonder if the prospect is bright enough to make him sleep soundly at night.
In the 1st district, he losses votes from Catigbian because Mayor Bertsal is unopposed in his home town. I also heard that there are certain people in Balilihan who vowed to work against Chatto. Notably those from Hanopol are willing to rise up and be heard.
In the 3rd district, he also losses votes from vote-rich Jagna because Mayor Eksam Lloren and his brother Senen Lloren have joined the rebels.
The same applies to Lila because Mayor Tele Balagosa also joined the group of rebels.
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And there are other “disturbing” developments in other towns as well.
He may not be able to maximize his votes for Loay because Mayor May Imboy is being “harassed” by former Vice Mayor Tibbs Bullecer, who is the campaign manager of Imboy’s equally rich opponent in Willie Flores.
Tibbs is the son in law and chief of staff of Edgar Chatto’s candidate for the board in the 3rd district, lawyer Aster Piollo.
The on-going heated verbal calisthenics between Tibbs and Mayor Imboy will likely generate a spill-over effect on the candidacy of Edgar Chatto.
And Mayor May Imboy may have to drop Piollo altogether because of Tibbs.
If Imboy complains to Chatto about this problem, and I’m sure she does, Chatto will be placed in a no-win situation.
* * *
Apart from his problem with Aster Piollo, Chatto’s other candidate for the board in the 3rd district in Senen Lloren is also going ober-da-bakod.
Going by the statement of Mayor Bertsal, Senen Lloren will also drop his support for Chatto.
That leaves him only with Boy Imboy and Jing Trabajo for the board. And if Mayor May Imboy could not rely on Chatto, I doubt if she would really work for Chatto’s candidacy. And Boy Imboy may not also work for Chatto as well.
Big problem, right?
* * *
Vote-rich Loon is divided.
While the Mayor may be solid behind Chatto and Rene Relampagos, still, there are other forces at work.
Remember that there is congressional bet Edgar Kapirig whose wife is from Loon. Together, they could pull some votes in that town.
And there is Bertsal who also traces his roots in Loon. Naturally, his relatives in Loon, who might have shared his resentment against Edgar Chatto, will join forces and reject Chatto and Relampagos altogether.
* * *
There are also many who are saying that Chatto could not also count on the full support of former DA Secretary Arthur Yap who is uncontested in his congressional run in the 3rd district.
Remember that during those days of the “one for all, all for one” team of Chatto, Cajes and Boy Jala, Art Yap was forced to align himself with the group of Vice Governor Julius Caesar Herrera.
It was floated then that
No wonder that during his provincial sorties, many projects of Art Yap were dispensed by Herrera.
Many are also saying that the decision of Herrera to turn NP had the prior blessings of Art Yap.
It would be foolhardy to imagine therefore, that just because Boy Jala has been removed from the picture, Art Yap would now support Edgar Chatto.
The argument is that since he started with Julius Herrera, he would naturally finish the run with Julius Herrera.
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So what does that leave him?
Of course, Edgar Chatto has his running-mate in Conching Lim.
So the question that must be answered is - is she an asset or a liability?
He, he, he, I am willing to bet she is a big liability.
* * *
And you know why?
Because she has an attitude.
Yes, an attitude problem.
* * *
She likes to think that politics is just a big market.
She pays and she pays big.
And after paying, she doesn’t give a damn.
She likes to think that everybody is a commodity, no feelings at all.
Which explains why she’s quick with her acid tongue every time she received visitors from other municipalities.
“Sayon-sayonon lang mi’g kasaba, wa siya maghuna-huna nga nagasto mi’g plete para lang makaanha sa iyang opisina unya kasab-an lang mi,” this was the statement of a barangay captain from Jagna.
Which also explains why some of Conching Lim’s infamous Christmas “postcards-cum-calendar” to the barangay officials bearing her very pretty face ended up as colorful embers when they were fed in disgust to the fire.
* * *
The thing is – many barangay officials hate Conching Lim.
They hate her for so many reasons. And one of these is her attitude.
And to my humble assessment, it is very doubtful if she could buy her way to victory when many barangay officials wanted to get even.
Yes, from what I heard, they want to even the score comes May 10.
And if Cong. Edgar Chatto is not careful, he is likely to get some shrapnels.
* * *
Admin presidential candidate Gibo Teodoro continues to wallow at the bottom of the survey ratings.
His 2% increase from the previous survey hardly inspires confidence if we take into account the remaining days to the final run.
Many are saying that many vital issues have already been invested in the public consciousness. If these issues failed to pull up Gibo’s rating, it is doubtful if the same issues could pull down the ratings of LP’s Noynoy Aquino and NP’s Manny Villar.
There is nothing left to say that can make a difference.
If this poor showing of Gibo will continue next month, what do you think will happen to his potential benefactors?
Do you think the big-time financiers will still gamble their millions on Gibo?
Logic says they will most likely place their bets on the winnable candidate.
Now, if that is translated to the local scene, what will happen to the campaign of admin governatorial bet Edgar Chatto?
Bears watching right?
* * *
Meanwhile, Vice Governor Julius Caesar Herrera is riding very comfortably on the discomfort of Edgar Chatto.
The bad misfortune of Chatto is his good luck.
For instance, his president in Manny Villar is riding high on surveys, second only to Noynoy Aquino.
Villar’s financial reserves are very impressive. He can afford to splurge on TV and radio ads. And his terrific expense in political ads is paying off. He is fast catching up on Noynoy’s.
And his organizational structure is sound and very reliable as it is extensive.
Unlike Gibo Teodoro, Manny Villar is a very bankable presidential candidate.
In this respect, Julius Caesar Herrera is in good hands.
* * *
The betrayal issue that hits Edgar Chatto like a Holy Week lightning is doing good to the candidacy of Herrera.
Those who were supposed to be impressed by Edgar Chatto’s cool persona are now entertaining doubts.
A 3rd district Mayor was heard saying “kon traydoran niya ang gobernador, kami pa kahang mga mayor ra mi.”
Which means many didn’t buy his explanations. Many are in the belief that there was a grand design against the Gov and he was at the vortex of the conspiracy.
For these mayors, if Edgar Chatto is out, then Julius Herrera is in.
* * *
The cellphone-giving gimmick of Edgar Chatto did him good at the start.
It was supposed to be one big and extensive cellphone network all over the province where they have a centralized database of cell numbers where they could contact and communicate with the barangay captains.
A dream comes true for one who wants to become the chief executive of the province, right?
But the gimmick didn’t last.
For one thing, they must have forgotten that cheap cellphones in Greenhills don’t last long. A barangay captain in Jagna complained that the cellphone lasted only for 3 months.
“Unsa man ning cellfona ni, di na man maka-contact, bag-o pa gani ning gihatag ni Cong. Chatto?” was the complaint.
Another problem is that many barangay officials already have cellphones when the Greenhills-cellphones were distributed.
Because they were new, they naturally ended up in the possession of the children of the barangay officials.
The objective to link the barangay captains under one big network failed.
And of course, some mayors who do not belong to his group resented this cellphone-giving spree because there is total absence of protocol.
One unfortunate victim of this is Pureza Chatto who got her dose of misfortune in Bien Unido.
And finally, some barangay captains did not receive their cellphones. Naturally, they resented the unfair treatment.
“Pihig-pihig diay na. Klaro nga pamolitika na,” was the comment of one barangay official.
Many are also wondering about the source of funds. Is this personal money or people’s money?
If personal money, then Edgar Chatto can choose the beneficiaries. If people’s money, then everybody deserves his cellphone. And those who did not receive have valid reasons to complain.
Next episode, we will talk about the KB group of Edgar Chatto.
More when we return, stay tuned for more!
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