Mountain Province politics

BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

(The writer of this piece, who calls himself Peter Ng, talks about Mountain Province politics.)

While on my way to eastern Mountain Province to observe the political environment, I happened to document a leader of a provincial politician who is running for Congress in the lone district of Mountain Province who gave bribe money to a president of a Senior Citizen Organization in the amount of P30,000.

At Natonin, another leader of the above cited congressional candidate tried to give bribe money to the leader of another congressional candidate but the former did not receive it. Accordingly, he said he was already committed to someone.

In Paracelis, thousands of money reached some leaders of opposing camps. However, according to the receivers they said that they were already committed to a certain candidate of their own.

Somewhere in Tadian, I happened to pass by motorcycle riding guys who were weeping because the money they were supposed to deliver to nearby barangays of the same municipality were allegedly held up.

In Lenga, Tadian a barangay, an official warns other leaders of other candidates not to enter the place because dozens of mono block chairs were already received by him- from a certain official who is running for congressman. Some of his constituents secretly said “Innala mi dayta ket haan nga umanay nga mangibotosan mi ti nagiyeg. Agtatalna kami laeng. Iyeg yo ketdin ti posters ken flyers mi ta iwaras min to”.

I got some opinions based on these issues and other issues I gathered which I did not jot here but will be published in the succeeding weeks.

Opinion 1. Since they are giving bribe money, an electorate must be given P10,000 each multiplied by 36 months (three years) which is equivalent to P360,000 to survive.

Ta nu inawat mo ti P50.00, P200 wenno P1,000.00 ket awan ti ited ti kandidato no mangabak isuna. Cigurado nga mapan met lang kanyana ti pondo. No iimplementar na man ket 30% wenno 40% met lang agsubli kanya na. Sigurado sublian na nagastos na. Nakita tayon tay haan tayo nga bulag, nangeg tayon tay haan tayo nga tuleng. Ti agkuarta ti botos corruption to epekto na. Awam to development kasrkaro ti easten Mountain Province ken ti milking cows nga provincial roads ti western Mountain Province.

Opinion 2. Haan lang nga monoblocks chairs ti maiwarwaras. Ado-ado kasla ti calamity funds ken goods. Daytoy ket “inayan” kuna ti taga Applai. Kuan ti nakalamidad dagita haan nga para ti haan nga nadangran.

Opinion 3. Dagidiay nagdadakkel nga badbado ken pantalon ket haan nga iwarwaras ti elementary pupils.

Opinion 3. Haan nga isursuruan ti youth ti kalokuan. Nu isuruam ti anak mo haan mo nga inayon ti anak ti dadduma.

Opinion 4. Idi naibukbuk ti kwarta ti maysa kandidato idi 2007 elections ti maysa nga municipyo ket sabali met lang nangabak.

Opinion 5. Beware of fake money that will circulate using the name of strong candidates. Panangdadael laeng dayta.

Opinion 6. Beware of last minute dirty tactics. No ada issues ti maysa a candidate dapat nga maiparuar iti campaign period. Nu rumuar ti issues kalpasan ti campaign period haan tayon nga mamati. Panangdadael wenno pangololaw dagita.

Opinion 7. Be vigilant against impostors. Kunkunwari nga leader wenno supporter ti kandidato. Umay dagitoy nga mangdadael ti credibilidad ti maysa nga kandidato.

Opinion 8. Let us advocate selection and election of candidates with proven political track records. Do not be misled with excellent words but not pure in heart and in action. We need good leaders who are honest, responsible and who advocates good governance..

Opinion 9. The robber of bribe money is not a crime is still a felon.

Opinion 10. Let us pray for God-guided national and local elections. Let’s curse satanic works. Let us fight evil because we will suffer for the next three years and onwards if evil spirits rule over us.