Samsam: It is not true that I didn’t endorse VM Alan Bucao as Alayon’s mayoralty candidate

Talisay City Mayor Gerard Anthony “Samsam” Gullas. | CDN Digital file photo by Mae Fhel Gom-os

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Talisay City Mayor Gerard Anthony “Samsam” Gullas denied allegations that he did not endorse Vice Mayor Alan Bucao to be their party’s mayoralty bet for the 2022 elections.

Gullas, who is running as First District Representative next year, said that it was the 22 barangay captains who allegedly objected and insisted that Bucao remains as vice mayor in the city.

Bucao, who is vying for the mayoralty post under Barug Lumad Talisaynon, said that he decided to run for the city’s top post against the wife of his ‘former’ ally, Gullas, due to an unfulfilled promise made by the latter’s grandfather and incumbent First District Representative Eduardo “Eddie” Gullas.

After filing his candidacy, Bucao said that Eddie had long been promising him to be Alayon’s standard-bearer, but stressed that the decision-making now had changed, which is from the bottom to the top.

READ: Unfulfilled promise prompts Bucao to run for Talisay City mayor

In his statement, Gullas said that sometime in December 2020, the barangay captains allegedly confronted him and asked him as to his plans for the upcoming elections, considering that he has been given the task to lead the party which was founded by his grandfather.

The 22 barangay captains, as per Gullas, asked him who will run for the mayoralty post upon learning that Eddie would be retiring from politics and that he (Gullas) was asked to run for his place in Congress.

“Without any hesitation I said, “Vice Mayor Alan maau ato himoon ug Mayor. It is not true that I didn’t endorse Vice Mayor Alan, actually he is the one I endorsed to our leaders once they asked me who will [be] our mayoralty candidate in Talisay.  I said, “as vice mayor, maayo gyud kung si Vice Mayor Alan Bucao ato suportahan pagka mayor.” said Gullas in a statement.

The incumbent mayor, however, said that he was surprised with how the barangay captains and party leaders reacted, that they allegedly preferred for Bucao to remain as vice mayor.

“Each of them had specific reasons why they wanted VM Alan to remain as Vice Mayor.  They said they didn’t want the gains of this present administration be stopped under a new administration,” he added.

To set the record straight, Gullas said that he and his grandfather did endorse Bucao to run for the mayoralty post.

But when he brought up the said recommendation to the barangay captains, Gullas said they allegedly told him that they will just support another mayor. He said it was the barangay captains who suggested that his wife, Rhea Gullas, to run to continue the admin’s programs.

“They continued in saying that the administration’s projects wouldn’t be finished, programs that benefitted their constituents in the barangay will be stopped and most likely, politics will interfere with everything that our administration has started,” said Gullas.

He also revealed that he even told the party’s leaders that he would prefer that his wife runs for city councilor instead.

Although Bucao has been with the Gullases for years, Gullas said that the same holds true for the barangay captains who never left the family and the party.

Gullas said it took him months to decide, stressing that he was not comfortable thinking about the situation and its possible repercussions.

“How can you make a decision with these odds? You endorse someone to be mayor but he is not supported by the city’s 22 barangay captains? As the leader of Alayon, that’s a very difficult decision to make.  It’s like being stuck between a rock and a hard place,” he said.

Afraid of being torn apart, Gullas said he met with Bucao and his wife, incumbent Councilor Marietta “Yehyen” Bucao and asked for their opinion about the decision of the barangay captains and party leaders.

Weeks after, Bucao and Yehyen allegedly expressed their willingness to seek reelection, which was why, Gullas said, they decided to meet with the councilors and barangay captains in two separate occasions.

During their meeting with the barangay captains, the mayor said he did not like what Bucao allegedly said.

“In regards to our meetings with the Barangay Captains, VM Alan recently said ngano maminaw man ko sa “ubos” and make decisions for the party sa mga gipang ingon sa mga taw sa “ubos.”  Dapat kita daw sa “taas” ang mag buot human musunod ang naa sa “ubos” sa atong decision,” he said.

“In my opinion, when making decisions for a party, walay “ubos”, walay “taas”, it should be a consensus.  Actually, ngilohan ko mag huna-huna sa words na gigamit na “ubos” and “taas. If that’s the case, you’re not a leader, you’re a boss.  I don’t want to be that type of guy, I have the respect of our barangay captains and our leaders because I value their opinion and they all have a say in the decision making in Alayon,” he added.

After their meetings, Gullas said he thought they have settled their differences and that the party was at peace, not until the people of Bucao allegedly started criticizing the administration, particularly its response to the pandemic.

“I didn’t think there was an ulterior motive at first, but today I can see much clearly. Attacks became personal against me and my family. They called my wife names and questioned her background to lead,” said Gullas.

But the incumbent mayor said that public service or being a public servant does not only rely on academic achievements and on-the-job experience, stressing that it has something to do with one’s attitude and on how you treat the people.

“It relies on so many other things rather than academic requirements. Because kanang kasingkasing para sa mga tawo, dili gyud na makat-onan sa eskwelahan. Naa gyud na sa imong pagka tao. I believe that is more important than any other issue,” he said.

Gullas said that he wanted to believe that he can be one with Bucao, which was why he allegedly held on until last week before the filing of certificate of candidacy (COC).

He further said that the attacks continued and that Bucao was reportedly in denial when he opened up to him. Gullas said his former ally also told him that he has no control over what his people would say and do.

“Then this happened, he has officially ran for Mayor by filing his certificate of candidacy.  I respect the decision of the honorable vice mayor. After all, I’ve learned so much and still continue to learn from him in our time together as Mayor and VM. He is still one of my role models and inspirations in public service,” said Gullas.

“At the end of the day, that’s what an election is all about. We have an election to know kung kinsa man gyud ang angay ibutang ug kinsa man gyud gusto sa katawhan himoong mayor.   Rhea will submit herself to the voice of the people through an election. After all, being mayor is an elected position, not an appointed one. Ang  tawo mag buot kung angayan ba mi or dili. Like my grandfather would always say, ‘Ang adlaw ni silang man sa tanan,'” he added.

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