For a while elections in Davao de Oro seemed to be over. A unity ticket had been made in heaven. Everybody who is somebody in the province political arena had shook hands and agreed to bury the proverbial hatchets. It required some players to give way and former Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy, now popularly known as “Papa Gov” and his son, the incumbent Vice Governor Tyron Uy, made the supreme sacrifice so that everyone with clashing political interests will have their proper place no sweat.
The only person that is out of the political clique, for he has opted to be out of any political party, is Franco Tito who is running as an independent candidate in the first congressional district of Davao de Oro, the 4th richest province in the country.
What was then the grand coalition or unity? I never ever thought it can happen but it happened. This was the agreed lineup:
- Rep. Ruwel P. Gonzaga (RPG) of District 2 will run for Governor with his wife, the incumbent Governor Dotdot Gonzaga as his running mate.
- Rep. Maricar Zamora will seek re-election in the 1st District.
- Businessman – philanthropist Noe “Butchoy”Taojo, to run for Congress in the 2nd District. Papa Gov on the other hand had retired from active politics. Tyron, young and winnable, agreed to bide his time and gave way to realize the goal for unity. He will have an important part to play in the government anyway. As I said the unity ticket is made in heaven and it is impregnable assuring everyone their victory. But an in inconceivable development happened on the day the certificates of candidacy took place. Raul Mabanglo, husband of Maricar Zamora, filed his CoC for Governor which shocked not only RPG and Butchoy but the rest of candidates that made up the unity team. As days unraveled the unity team discovered that Jong Ceniza who filed his candidacy for Congressman in the 2nd District had joined Zamora not only to boost his own chances but, in the case of Maricar , to ensure that her husband Raul will be backed up by Ceniza. It became also apparent that Zamora had set-up an organization of her own that would ensure her future political agenda. My informant told me that what what added fuel to the brazen treachery was the rumor that House Deputy Secretary General Sofonias P. Gabonada, Jr. , who once served as an official in the office of former Gov. Dolfo del Rosario of Davao del Norte, had overtly and generously provided Rep. Maricar Zamora the logistics for her campaign and for her husband and Ceniza as well. Whether Ponyong Gabonada’s act of generosity to Maricar’s camp had helped Speaker Martin Romualdez bid for the Presidency in 2028 is something to to be felt yet. Some quarters however are wondering where the millions of “ayudas” that were earmarked for Davao de Oro went. Following the impact of betrayal the battle lines had been drawn between the camp of Zamora, her husband Mabanglo and Ceniza on one side and RPG, his wife Dotdot and Butchoy Taojo on the other. I can imagine Franco Tito , an independent candidate for Congress in the 1st District smiling from ear to ear. He was personally endorsed by former President Rodrigo Duterte for the position with a promise to physically campaign for him, now it appears that he will reap the positive impact of the unity disarray.
