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It doesn’t pay to sleep while driving. Day or night, it doesn’t matter.
The golden rule is - don’t drive when you sleep. Don’t sleep when you drive.
This was the lesson learned by a Congressman when he figured in a vehicular accident recently.
* * *
Once you survived a car crash, you should be thankful for the new lease in life.
And the best way to do this is to be humble about it; to accept your frailties and shortcomings and to learn the lesson well.
But the Congressman is far from being humble.
He lied about it and he’s in a fighting mood.
* * *
It was a show of force for the governor as he happily announced last Friday the decision of the Commission on Elections on the CONA controversy.
On hand to grace his announcement at the People’s Mansion were his top lieutenants in the 2nd district.
Among those present were board member Roygie of Inabanga, Dr. Mutya Macuno, Talibon Mayor Juaning Item, a representative of former Getafe Mayor Cary Camacho, Buenavista Mayor Elsa Tirol, Clarin Mayor Hermogenes Diezon, Danao Mayor Tom Gonzaga and CPG Mayor Tessie Boyboy, among others.
I noticed a dig, direct, at Congressman Cajes and his wife (kuno) Judith Cajes and indirect dig, at Congressman Edgar Chatto, when Aumentado said he was not “pugoso” (forceful) because he waited for 19 years to become governor.
Trinidad Mayor Judith Lao still has 2 terms left for mayor but she could not control the itch to run for congress.
Of course, she must have been persuaded to run as “stand-in” for her husband (kuno) so the congressional seat will remain in the “family” and will not be shared with others.
Many people are convinced that this could not be the initiative of the Trinidad Mayor but that of Congressman Ondoy Cajes.
In fact, in many of our conversations, it was clear that Judith Lao was not really decided.
She kept on telling me “wa pay klaro Attorney” when I asked if it were true that she’s running for Congress.
Not once but many times that I sought her view on her political plans.
And in all those times, she kept on saying “wa pay klaro.”
Of course, I learned later that all the while, they were already planning for a congressional run for Judith Lao.
“Dugay na na nga plano, di na mahimo mo-back-out pa si Mam Bebe,” were some of the statements that I got from a very reliable source.
And of course, it was also reported that they could not back out because they had promised their mayoralty bets in the district that she would really run for congress. As in, no retreat, no surrender.
Of course, this validates the story in one of our episodes here last year that Congressman Ondoy Cajes was really making his own independent political plans by creating his “parallel organizations.”
This was one of the heated issues during that fateful September 26 meeting in Manila where there was that, ah, “healthy discussion” of ideas between the governor and Ondoy Cajes.
I termed it here then as “heated discussion” which meant one and the same.
All the while, we were hitting the nail right smack on its head.
* * *
And there was an indirect dig at Congressman Ed Chatto because as I wrote in this column way back in September of last year, the governor was complaining that “wa pa gani mo makalingkod, ilogan na man ko ninyo sa pwesto” or words to that effect.
The issue of contention was the chairmanship of Lakas-Kampi-CMD in Bohol.
The “one for all, all for one” group of Chatto, Cajes and Boy Jala were said to be pushing for the transfer of provincial chairmanship from the gov to Chatto.
The gov maintained then that for as long as he was still the regional and provincial chair of Lakas, there was no reason for the transfer of leadership.
Meaning, if the party hierarchy removed him as provincial chair, then he would vacate the chairmanship. Until then, it was premature to even talk of transfer of leadership.
But the more appropriate reason could be that Chatto was not yet a candidate for governor then because the filing of the certificate of candidacy (COC) was still months ahead.
* * *
There was also another dig at Congressman Ondoy.
This time, the dig, I suppose, centered on his very person as a priest and as a politician.
The governor said that at one political gathering in San Miguel town recently, Congressman Ondoy Cajes told his leaders and supporters to wait for the decision from Comelec Manila.
He sounded very confident when he said they would just abide by the Comelec decision. He must have gotten assurance of a sure win, whatever that means.
Last Friday, the governor reminded Cajes that since the Comelec has already ruled on the merits of the case, Ondoy Cajes should be man enough to respect the decision.
And the governor continued his dig.
The governor cited the previous agreement between Cajes and former governor David Tirol that Cajes would only serve for 1 term and give way to Tirol.
He broke his promise, the governor said, when he refused to yield the seat to Tirol.
Against this pattern of lies and deceit, the governor said he was not hopeful that Ondoy Cajes would also honor his commitment to respect the Comelec decision.
Ouch!
* * *
Actually, the governor was very diplomatic when he limited his narration of the colored history of lies of Ondoy Cajes.
He didn’t mention another breach of promise by Cong. Ondoy Cajes.
And I don’t mean his breach of priestly vow.
We’ll have that in our succeeding episodes.
In the meantime, I’m sure Congressman Ondoy is now eating his lollipop.
* * *
Why lollipop?
Because he said the CONA issued by Lakas-Kampi-CMD reinstating the gov’s and revoking his wife’s CONA was like a lollipop.
He said the CONA doesn’t matter anymore because it was done after the period of filing of the COC. As in the lollipop was given to stop the whining from the gov.
But reading through the Resolution of the Comelec en banc, it is very clear that the reinstated CONA was no mere lollipop.
Very clearly, it was just Ondoy Cajes’ lolly.
Having said that, I repeat, I’m sure Cong. Ondoy is now enjoying his lollies.
* * *
Now that Judith Lao is declared as an independent candidate for the 2nd district, she has several options. Rather, Congressman Ondoy has several options.
He can eat his lollipop, swallow his pride and continue the fight or be humble about it and withdraw.
But I don’t think he will ask his “wife” to withdraw. He has already invested a lot. He has already organized and funded a parallel organization in the district that would support the Team Cajes only.
He has made a commitment (kuno) to the members of the parallel organization that he would carry on the fight. Apparently, the members considered Cajes as an honorable man, that he’s capable of fulfilling his promise or commitment.
Either they’re ignorant or they forgot the fact that Cong. Ondoy Cajes has made commitments and vows before but he turned his back on them.
Anyway, Ondoy Cajes bragged repeatedly over the radio that the group of Cong. Edgar Chatto, Conching Lim and Arthur Yap would support Judith Cajes.
Ondoy made this pronouncement during those times that the
Comelec has not yet issued its verdict on the CONA case. So we can understand the seeming stupidity of the remarks.
But now that the Comelec has declared Aumentado as the official candidate and Judith Cajes as an independent, I wonder if Cong. Ondoy has learned the art of eating words.
If he does, now is the time to eat his words.
For how can Chatto, Lim and Yap support Judith Cajes when she’s not Lakas-Kampi-CMD party bet?
She is now an independent.
Of course, Chatto and Lim can secretly support Judith Cajes if they want. As in special operations.
But that would be another stab in the back for the governor from Cong. Edgar Chatto.
How many times can the governor endure stabbing incidents from Cong. Ed Chatto?
And if Cong. Chatto does that (never mind Conching Lim, she’s a nobody in the 2nd district), Aumentado can return the favor. He can also junk Chatto and Lim in the 2nd district. I suppose this is something that should jolt Edgar Chatto from being suicidal.
In which case, it would be to his best interest to simply toe the party line and support Aumentado.
We shall have Conching Lim’s betrayal in our next episode. Abangan.
More when we return, stay tuned for more!