NO INCUMBENT. Sen. Edgardo Angara
(l) and former Gov. Rene Relemapagos (r) emerged from
a meeting to discuss the declaration of the 3rd district
as a "free zone" since no incumbent administration
congressman is running for re-election in the district.
Foto: DANNY REYES |
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The
third congressional district of the province as well as
the city of Tagbilaran are declared "free zone"
by the national arbitration committee of the administration's
Team Unity which includes six political parties as coalition
partners.
This was learned yesterday when a copy of the nationwide
listing of party affiliations under the Team Unity leaked
to the Chronicle showing Tagbilaran City and the 3rd district
noted with (FZ) or Free Zone. |
Atty.
Adam Jala, son of last termer Rep. Eladio Jala, who was endorsed
to run for congressman was identified as official candidate
under Lakas while former Gov. Rene Relampagos was listed as
LDP official bet. The district was declared FZ free zone based
on the nationwide listing.
In
the nationwide listing, there were no candidates listed under
Kampi.
It
was gathered that the young Jala has been issuing nominations
for candidates under Kampi while the last termer solon is
issuing in behalf of Lakas. However, it was learned that the
younger Jala who issued Kampi nominations to mayoralty bets
registered in the Comelec as Lakas, and not Kampi.
The
issue on the official administration bet in the third district
is further muddled with the fact that Provl BM Dionisio Balite
also claimed that he is authorized by Lakas-CMD Secretary-general
Ding Tanjuatco as the official Lakas bet while last termer
Jala says he got his authorization from Rep. Louie Villafuerte,
Kampi president.
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Sen.
Edgardo Angara, LDP president, confirmed to the Chronicle
that the 3rd district is declared a free zone during
a meeting of the arbitration committee in Manila last
March 12. He insisted on the coalition party ruling
that in areas where there is no incumbent, it should
be declared as free zone for those candidates filing
in any of the Team Unity parties, namely Lakas-CMD,
Kampi, LDP, Liberal Party (Atienza wing), NPC and PSBP.
Political
affairs Secretary Gaby Claudio presided that meeting
at Malacanang last March 12 wherein Rep. Marcelo Libanan
of Lakas, Rep. Louie Villafuerte of Kampi, Mayor Lito
Atienza of Liberal party, Rep. Duavit of NPC and former
Rep. Mike Romero for LDP where in attendance.
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Prior
to the Manila meeting, Angara personally asked re-electionist
Gov. Erico Aumentado to recognize Relampagos as the LDP bet
in the district. Angara, together with former Rep. Romero
asked Gov. Aumentado to declare Relampagos as the coalition
bet. However, since Gov. Aumentado was likewise requested
by Rep. Jala to declare the younger Jala as the official bet,
the Bohol meeting decided to elevate the matter to the national
arbitration committee
After
deliberations in Manila, the arbitration committee ruled that
the district be declared as "free zone," meaning
no official coalition party candidate has been declared.
This
dispelled conflicting reports that the younger Jala and Balite
are the official administration bets even as the district
was declared FZ by the Team Unity.
It
maybe noted that the 3rd congressional district has the most
number of candidates for congressman after Jala completed
his nine-year term.
The
district, composed of 19 towns, has the biggest number of
voting populace totaling 233,403, which is some 10,000 more
compared to either the first or second congressional districts.
Meanwhile,
the city of Tagbilaran was also listed as "free zone".
Names
appearing in the same official nationwide party bets listing
for Tagbilaran City were Mayor Dan Lim as NPC and former mayor
Joe Torralba for Lakas. The city is declared as FZ or Free
Zone like the third congressional district.
Re-electionist
Rep. Edgar Chatto and re-electionist Rep. Roberto Cajes were
listed unopposed by any other coalition candidate for congressman
in the 1st and 2nd districts, respectively.
Re-electionist
Gov. Aumentado listed under Lakas was also unopposed by any
recognized coalition party candidate for governor.
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