Roxas’s campaign debacles

Think Bits

I thought that Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas’s recent declaration that he doesn’t need the support of the Durano and Garcia clans in Cebu to win was in reaction to reports that the Duranos of Cebu’s 5th district dropped him in favor of Sen. Grace Poe while the Garcias decided to go for United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) leader and Vice President Jejomar Binay.

I think Roxas has been annoyed and dismayed by the turn of events in the political scene where LP members are now starting to leave the party and support other presidential bets.

In Bohol for example, about 27 local officials who were said to belong to the administration left the party and supported UNA and Binay.

In Cebu, political leaders like Talisay City Mayor Johnny V. delos Reyes and key areas like Naga City in the 1st district left the LP to support Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte while others went to One Cebu of the Garcias.

Roxas has to be careful since he is losing political leaders left and right due to his indecisiveness on whom to support. He lost the support of original and loyal LP leaders after he switched sides and supported their rivals.

Roxas cannot just ignore the influence of the Duranos and the Garcias because the Duranos of the 5th district command a sizable following and can deliver close to 250,000 votes to his opponent.

The Garcias could safely deliver about the same number of votes to Binay. In Mindanao, Roxas is expected to lose ground to Duterte, a Mindanaoan.

Instead of making statements that challenge political leaders, Roxas should keep his mouth shut lest he provoke them into making good their promise to their chosen candidates.

While some are questioning the propriety of a sitting president campaigning for Roxas and running mate Leni Robredo, I say that it is just logical for Mr. Aquino to spend his time doing just that.

A Roxas presidency means he won’t be prosecuted on cases that were filed against him by his political enemies. For local political pundits, the question remains: how will the LP-Cebu alliance with the Alayon party of the Gullases affect the tandem of Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale?

I really don’t know because there are LP leaders who may have abandoned Roxas but have continued to support Davide-Magpale. But I received reports that there are LP candidates who are unhappy with Davide’s leadership and are thinking about jumping ship to ensure their political survival.
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I question the Commission of Elections’ decision not to issue receipts to voters after they cast their ballots.

Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said voters cannot expect to be issued receipts by the automated counting machines to be used in this May’s elections but it may be possible for the next elections if Congress decides to amend the election law ahead of it.

The receipts would have been important so we can show how we all voted and if the automated voting machines read our votes correctly.

I don’t really know why the Comelec refused to issue receipts in this coming election when it is no doubt important and crucial to ensure transparency in this year’s elections.

Transparency is important in light of the Compostela town recount when a manual count of the votes there showed different numbers for its Mayor Joel Quiño and his rival former Mayor Richie Wagas.

I was hoping that the Comelec should have been sensitive to the clamor of those wanting to be issued receipts so the voters can validate their ballot and know if their votes were counted.

The voters receipt would have put to rest doubts about the integrity of the automated vote counting machines. I hope that a citizen would file a complaint at the Supreme Court about this in order to question the Comelec’s wisdom of refusing to issue voters receipts.