Our billiard buddy, Fred Araneta, was practically titillated with our piece last Wednesday wherein we presented the initial salvo of the political demographics in the province with the advent of the filing of the certificates of candidacy for the May 14 elections.

We are supposed to make a follow up on that piece today but we have to give way to the news item found elsewhere in this issue about the recent political developments in the city level. It is up to our dear readers to come up with their own analysis too.

For the meantime, just stay stuck for more political updates in the next issues.

* * * * * * *

No matter how the Ombudsman will justify it, but the timing of the suspension order against several local executives throughout the country could not be construed without political consideration.

A case in point is that of Iloilo Gov. Neil Topaz. The service of the suspension order against the governor last week was an overkill if one is not abreast of the fact that Justice Sec. Raul Gonzales, a political nemesis of Topaz, is just trying to show to the Ilonggos his clout as a cabinet member now.

The same is true with Batangas Gov. Armand Sanchez whose vice-governor is the brother of Sen. Ralph Recto whose re-election bid is still in the boundary between the administration and the opposition.

* * * * * * *

The timely court intervention stopping the suspension of these local executives at least tempered the boiling political turmoil in Iloilo and Batangas in the meantime.

Without the system of check and balance in the country, these political assaults could easily result in bloody situations which could prompt the Commission on Elections to identify these areas as election hotspots.

Corollary to this, we are reminded of that famous US jurisprudence about taxation where the Supreme Court declared that the power to tax is the power to destroy. In a latter case, the same Supreme Court said the power to tax is not the power to destroy as long as this Court sits.

* * * * * * *

ADVISORY. Out recent visit to the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in
Bangkok, Thailand paid off.

Aside from being accepted as a network member of the institute, we received and invitation this week to present a paper during the 9th International Congress of Asian Planners School Association on Aug. 27 to 29 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The international conference will banner the theme "Towards and Asian Approach for Millennium Development". We are honored with the invitation considering that attendance to the conference is supposedly limited only to APSA members.

* * * * * * *

SP UPDATES. The 9th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Tagbilaran led by Vice-Mayor Nuevas Tirol-Montes formally adopted during its regular session last Wednesday Proposed Resolution No. 12-07 supporting the move of the provincial government to buy-back the twin public utility companies now operated by Salcon.

The measure was sponsored en masse and adopted unanimously even as we sponsored the passage of the resolution during the floor deliberation.

The city council also approved Proposed Ordinance No. 01-07 adopting a one-side parking in the city street leading to the city airport. City Councilor George R. Olario sponsored the resolution as chairman of the committee on protective services.

* * * * * * *

POSTSCRIPT. Together with Vice Mayor Nuevas Tirol-Montes and our colleagues in the city council, we joined the family of the late City Councilor Nerio Zamora in marking his first death anniversary last Friday…

* * * * *

For comments and suggestions, just e-mail to the following e-mail addresses: obiter@boholchronicle.com