Roxas comes first and last

Cebu Gov. Junjun Davide, who is the  provincial chairman  of the Liberal Party, recently debunked a  report that Rep. Samsam Gullas of the first district was appointed LP chairman of his district.

Original LP members  who helped Davide and Magaple in the last election immediately  lamented how such an appointment has displaced many of them like San Fernando Mayor Abe Canoy. What added to their indignation was the presence of both Samsam Gullas and his grandfather, former Congressman Eduardo Gullas of the Alayon party, on stage at the Aug. 24 “Gathering of Friends” of LP in the Cebu Coliseum  with Davide, Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

Their unlikely presence fueled the talk that the Gullases have struck an alliance with  Liberal Party leaders and that  Roxas, the standard-bearer, has appointed Samsam  district chairman of the party.

In a press statement soon after, Samsam Gullas said he was willing “step back” from the district  chairmanship and for a “free zone” to be declared in the area.

Predictably loyal LP members  opposed this  arrangement.  They don’t think it would help the candidacies of Davide and Magpale in the province or the presidential bid of Roxas.

But Governor Davide has denied such an appointment.

I welcome Davide’s statement  for asserting himself as LP province chairman and protecting the interests of  fellow Cebuano party members.

But what is important is to hear the side of Secretary Roxas  and the party hierarchy .

If Roxas decides to appoint Gullas as the district head of the 1st district  with the support of LP leaders in the national level, Davide can’t  do anything but obey. He could always  question the propriety of the decision, but the final say is with Roxas.

I think  more prominence is being given to ensuring Roxas’  victory  in the presidential election than party loyalty.

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Zero Remittance Day last Friday was the   OFWs’ reaction to the new policy in  examining and opening  balikbayan boxes.  Based on initial TV reports, there was less foreign currency coming in from OFWs who refrained from remitting their dollars as supported by the NGO Migrante.

That response  would in a way affect the financial reserves of the country, although one day  alone would not shake the  financial status of the government.  Customs Commissioner Bert Lina has followed the order of the president for a hands-off policy  on  balikbayan boxes.  He said the agency would no longer open all  boxes for inspection but have them pass through X-ray machines and sniffing canines first.  And if suspicious items are spotted through the machine or the dogs, the  box will be opened in front of a representative of the OFW.

I understand where the anger of  OFWs is coming from. In the latest survey of the Social Weather Station, the Bureau of Customs  has again been found to be perceived as the most corrupt government agency.

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Luckily for the Aquino administration, the rallies of the Iglesia ni Cristo  ended last Monday morning after a few days of rallies at the Department of Justice  compound and at EDSA.

The rally was a reaction to the role of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima who handled the  complaint for kidnapping filed against the sanggunian of the INC by a former church  member.

The INC leadership was not happy with how de Lima appeared to give so much attention to the case by personally receiving the complaint. The INC displayed its muscle in five days of rallies  to dramatize their dismay.  The protest  was staged during her birthday  when she announced her intention to run for the senate.

During the rallies, presidential candidates  Grace  Poe, Jejomar Binay and Roxas  issued statements  about  INC’s discontent.

Roxas’ statement drew the ire of INC. The government was very careful in dealing with INC because of its reputation as a block-voting religious community, an estimated potential  3 million  INC votes. So last week INC just wanted to show everybody that it indeed has a solid following from its members.