By Nora Soriño
NO. This isn’t about a senator who answers by that name, who is the subject of the wrath of Digong due to alleged drug involvement. Which made her a jailbird until now.
This is about what’s going on in the head of the good mayor of this city, Celso G. Regencia. Like, will I be visible today? Or shall I open my mouth today and answer “hard” questions thrown my way by “unfriendly” reporters? Or, shall I get myself vaccinated or not?
And most of all, shall I run for a congressman? Or for mayor? Jun a reporter just said in jest: “Maybe he’ll just select ‘or’.”
This particular dilemma of which position to run for come next year’s elections became the talk of the town when suddenly, he announced to his “friendly” reporter Jun Lino Bacus broadcasted in a “friendly” Radyo Bandera, that he is “still qualified” to run for mayor. This is per the opinion of “a lawyer from Manila.”
Even if this will be his “4th” time! Running for mayor, that is.
What? I could visualize many ears growing longer!
What’s so special about him that he seems to be above the law? For the mayor like other positions like councilors or congressman, etc. are limited to three terms only.
That is the thinking of lawyer Moises Dalisay, Jr. But he can file for such a position because it is likely that Comelec would accept it. There would be petitions to the Supreme Court then, he added. The reason why he can still run for such a position is that his terms were “interrupted.”
It was not interrupted, said Dalisay. For when he was a jailbird, he was still functioning as mayor. As for his suspensions, those cannot be considered “interruptions,” the lawyer added. These are decided cases by the SC he said, “not just legal opinions.”
Councilor Noli Pardillo, CGR’s best friend then told the media that the mayoral run is being considered now.
Meaning, before, there was a lot of “sureness” for his running for congressman. But now…
“Maybe, he’s afraid to open his mouth in Manila,” said Fely, a friend who came over to the office when we talked about it. “On second thought, maybe he’s afraid that he’ll get ambushed in Manila,” she continued.
“That’s impossible,” butted in Dodong, a reporter who feels no love for the mayor. “For his bodyguards outnumber that of Duterte. Maybe because he really doesn’t like the position. Because, unlike the mayor, the congressman doesn’t control the funds. They go directly to the disbursing office, such as the DPWH or whatever agency of the government the project falls for he only has ‘the initiative.’ Although there might be some ah… ”arrangements.” Maybe, if you know what I mean!”
“Guys,” I said at length, “That’s a lot of maybes. But regarding CGR’s dilemma, I can only repeat a street lingo.”
“What's that,” they all chorused.
“Nganong ni ― enter?” I said with a straight face with all the feigned seriousness I could muster.
They all laughed. But I thought that it wasn’t laughable.
Email: norasorino2@gmail.com
