If the spirit of Christmas is everywhere, so is the election fever. Just about the person who seemed so unperturbed with his adversaries’ hoopla and hard-selling pitch is former President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
PRRD is running for Mayor in Davao City and nary a word can one hear from him about his bid to return as mayor. On the other hand his former Spokesman, Karlo Nograles who is running against him, has organized a throng of radio commentators and text brigade to boost his candidacy.
His other political adversary, a certain Bishop Rodolfo Cubos who promises a package of reforms, is by himself and maybe aided by his followers which are not perceptible as yet. He managed to somehow get interviewed for his daring crusade to be elected but unlike the Nograles camp, never attacks Duterte.
But Nograles is extra-careful about personally attacking his former boss except by offering himself as an alternative. His radio commentators however are doing that role for him. But they knew the sentiments of Davawenyos and are careful their commentaries would boomerang against their candidate. Thus their main issues are about PRRD’s age. They too claimed that Nograles has plans for the City which the Duterte administrations have not done.
Early on Nograles proudly announced that he will introduce digitalization of the City functionaries which his phalanx of propagandists liberally announced. They were not aware that the City government had implemented it beginning 2018. Another issue they raised recently was Nograles plan to free food delivery riders from paying tax. Again they were not aware that a resolution exempting the riders had been approved by the City Council on third reading and is just awaiting signature of Mayor Baste Duterte assuming he has not yet.
It is not only Nograles and his commentators are mounting an attack on Duterte. The QuadCom of the House of Martin Romualdez led by his CPP/NPA attack dogs have rehashed the issue of extra-judicial killings and recommended to the Department of Justice to file appropriate charges againt him. CNN International had also joined the fray.
But then again what is new?
A columnist from a nationwide daily averred that Duterte “is facing an opponent with a formidable backing from a family that claims Davao as its stronghold”. Well, he is in some sense correct. Straw polls indicate that Nograles and Cubos are running neck and neck.
