Unfulfilled promise prompts Bucao to run for Talisay City mayor

The slate of the Barug Lumad Talisaynon headed by incumbent Talisay City Vice Mayor Alan Bucao, who is vying for the mayoral post, and Rico Almaria, who is running for Vice Mayor in the 2022 elections, filed their certificates of candidacy at the Talisay City Comelec on Friday morning, October 8, 2021. | via Mae Fhel Gom-os

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Incumbent Talisay City Vice Mayor Alan Bucao said that he decided to run for the city’s top position against the wife of his ‘former’ ally Gerard Anthony “Samsam” Gullas due to an unfulfilled promise made by the latter’s grandfather and incumbent First District Representative Eduardo Gullas.

Bucao revealed this after he and his running mate, former Tabunok barangay councilor aspirant Rico Bucao Almaria, along with the entire slate of the Barug Lumad Talisaynon, filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) on Friday morning, October 8, 2021.

The incumbent vice mayor, who was a former member of the Alayon Party, which was founded by Eduardo Gullas, said that since 2016, the latter had promised him to be the party’s standard-bearer for the next midterm elections.

Then sometime in 2018, Samsam, who was then the First District Representative, also allegedly mentioned that since Bucao had long been serving the city, he would be the party’s mayoral bet for 2019, saying there’s no one from the Gullas clan who would run for the post.

However, in the 2019 elections, according to Bucao, he was told by Eduardo that he and Samsam would swap positions for only one term.

Bucao also alleged that Eduardo said that after the said term, it would be up for him and Samsam to decide whether they would swap positions since he would be retiring from politics.

“Pero karon, nalain man ang tono. Ang decision making ron, is from the bottom to the top, unya as a leader, mo-matter kon unsay desisyon sa ubos. For as long as ikaw nakabuhi og pulong, barugan nimo ang pulong kay leader man ka. Daghan mang leader nga ang ilang mga tawo wa makasabot sa iyang desisyon. Pero deep inside me, naa siyay sincerity nga iyang tumanon ang iyang desisyon,” said Bucao.

“Ang rason ra gyud, kon mosaad ka sa imong kapartido sud sa 32 anyos imong gisaaran, how much more, nga imong gisaaran ng katawhan. Wa gani nimo tumana ang imong saad sa kapartido nga diha sa imong kiliran for 32 years, how much more ang saad imong gihimo sa katawhan,” Bucao added.

Bucao, however, clarified that he has nothing against incumbent Mayor Samsam, stressing that he and his wife, incumbent city councilor Marietta Bucao, told the latter that it would be okay should he decide to run as mayor and Bucao as vice mayor in 2022.

“Willing gihapon kong mag vice mayor, pero insulto na siguro na sa Talisaynon uy… nga ang imong padaganon pagka mayor, naka-rehistro lang 2019, pagkasal. Wa gani currently magpuyo sa dakbayan sa Talisay, tua sa siyudad nagpuyo. Kon moserbisyo ka, then you should stay within the territorial boundaries sa imong jurisdiction. Mao ra gyud na,” Bucao claimed while referring to Rhea Gullas.

READ: Samsam’s wife files COC for Talisay City mayor with Alayon bets

Bucao said the problems in Talisay City cannot be solved by other people.

“Ang among kauban sa Barug Lumad Talisaynon nga alternative leadership, kay para gud nato gud, ang problema sa Talisay di ma sulbad og laing tawo. Masulbad ang problema sa Talisay kon naay taga Talisaynon nga by heart, by mind, nakahibaw siya og unsay ugat sa problema sa Talisay,” he said.

Bucao , who served the city for 32 years already, said that he has prepared a lot of programs should he be elected as Mayor, which would solve the city’s problems on infrastructure, public market, transportation, environment, health, and social sources.

He, however, stressed that he would not divulge these programs, citing that it is common nowadays to copy-paste the programs of other aspirants.

Bucao also said that his wife, Marietta, decided not to seek reelection for the 2022 elections, adding that the latter was just forced to run in the last election due to their loyalty to Eduardo Gullas.

He said they do not want a political dynasty that will be serving the city.

Meanwhile, Almaria, who is allegedly a distant relative of Bucao, said that he decided to run for a higher position despite failing to win as an independent barangay councilor in 2018, due to the cause that the party has for the Talisaynons.

“Actually lisod hunahunaon diba pero tungod lang sa cause nga among gi-fight diri sa Talisay, which is ang Talisay alang gyud sa lumad nga balansayon. So dako-dako jud nga hunahuna among gibuhat ani before ni decide ani nga mga butang,” said the barrister Almaria.

Almaria said that he believes Bucao has all the qualities to lead the city to new heights.

The candidates of Barug Lumad Talisaynon, who are also under the national party of Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma (PPDR), include city councilors Alan Genson Bucao, Clifford Sevilleno Delos Reyes, Ellen Lee Lastimosa, Bernard Joseph Tabaquero Odilao, Rogerico Quijote Lopernes, Lina Fajardo Libres, Aldin Maceren Diaz, Gilbert Cabalguinto Dela Serna, Ignacio Luis Larrauri Jordana, and Jarred Tumarong Cabilte.     /rcg

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