Before the filing of the Certificates of Candidacy October last year the political climate that pervades in Davao Region was uneventful and I exciting. The Duterte leadership was expected to be unchallenged with the declaration of Past President Rodrigo Duterte that he will run for Mayor. He had been egged by various sectors, including the media, not to retire as yet and continue to serve his political constituents who want him back as Mayor.
In Davao del Norte, Partido Reporma, which routed the political power of the Floirendo clan, did not display any symptom of discord. Rep. Pantaleon “Bebo” Alvarez who heads the party is concluding his 3-terms as Congressman of the 1st District and had made known his plan to run for Vice Governor. Governor Edwin Jubahib, his former Chief of Staff is running for re-election.
In Davao de Oro, anybody who is somebody in the political arena are either with Lakas-CMD or Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP). It stood to reason that they all agreed to form a Unity Ticket assuring each the position they are aiming for. The incumbent governor Dotdot Gonzaga will be the running mate Vice Governor of her husband Rep. Ruel Gonzaga who will in her stead run for Governor. Rep. Maricar Zamora will seek re-election in the 1st District while businessman Noe “Butchoy” Taojo of PFP to run as Representative in the 2nd District.
Incumbent Vice Gov. Tyrone Uy and his father, the former governor Arturo “Chiongkee”, made the supreme sacrifice to firm up the Unity Ticket.
Briefly before and after the filing of Certificates of Candidacy moreover the buzz about political treachery and talks about “walang utang na loob” loomed not only in Davao de Oro but also in Davao del Norte and Davao City!
In Davao City, Karlo Nograles first appeared at the Comelec to a company Javier Garcia Campus who filed his candidacy for congressman in the 2nd District on October 6, 2024. Every body thought Karlo was just around to help his cousin Javier. The following day PRRD with son, incumbent Mayor Baste, filed their COCs for Mayor and Vice Mayor respectively.
On October 8m the last day of filing of COCs, the former Cabinet Secretary and Presidential Spokesman of PRRD and later as Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, Nograles showed up at the Comelec and filed his COC for City Mayor. In a statement, he said he filed his resignation and thanked Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the opportunity of heading the Commission. He skipped PRRD who first appointed him as head of CSC.
Karlo, it turned out, recruited all his bets from Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod the local party of Duterte. These include City Councilor Bernard Al-ag whom he drafted as his running mate, Wilfredo Al-ag to run against Rep. Sid Ungab in the 3rd District. Migs Nograles an incumbent partylist Representative is running for Congress in the 1st District.
Javier, brothers Al-ag, and Campus were subsequently expelled from HTL. For his part however PRRD said “You should not begrudge the Nograleses if they also want the distinct honor of being in public office, congressman, mayor, or what else. We do not have the monopoly of ambition.”
In Davao del Norte former Speaker Bebot Alvarez was taken aback when his factotum , Edwin Jubahib, the man he bankrolled to be elected governor, betrayed him and fielded his daughter Clarise to be his running mate. Jubahib, who was suspended twice by the Office of the President also left Partido Reporma and joined PHP. Jilted and insulted, Alvarez is now endorsing Lakas-CMD gubernatorial bet Alan Dujali, the incumbent congressman of District 2, for governor. In a recent statement Alvarez apologized to the prople of Davao del Norte for having supported Jubahib who severely lacks competence and did nothing for the province except for himself.
The May elections should have been a walk in the park for candidates aiming for the top posts in the gold-rich Davao de Oro province. They all have agreed to unite and each to be good as elected for their respective goals. After all they all are running either under Lakas-CMD and PHP.
Minutes after the filing of COCs the much ballyhooed unity party collapsed. Maricar Zamora fielded her second hubby Ruel Mabanglo for Governor and declared their support for Jhong Ceniza for congressman in District 2.
As a result Former Gov. Arturo “papa Gov” Uy who agreed, along with his son, incumbent Vice Gov. Tyrone Uy, to set aside their political plans for the unity ticket to be realized, aligned themselves with Gonzaga and Butchoy Taojo who are now likely to support Franco Tito an independent candidate for Congress in the 1st District of Davao de Oro.
Franco Tito is an x-factor in the ambition of Maricar to return to Congress. The man has the distinction of being personally endorsed by PRRD. With the irreconcilable relationship of the dramatis personae in the Unity Ticket it is certain that he will be adopted by the group of Gonzaga, Butchoy Taojo and Papa Gob as the congressional candidate in the first District of Davao de Oro.
