Disgruntled Supporters of a Mayor

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

After being stranded for almost four months in the war-torn Cotabato Province when I was caught by President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of the lock down in March 15 to May 15 versus the phantom lethal Corona Virus Disease-19, I wiggled out through a three days lorry ride last July 4 and be in Pangasinan with seasoned Pangasinan media men making rounds of interviews with politicians, public officials, and figures.
Lately, we went to the farm of a veteran public official where he treated us and some major supporters of Dagupan City Mayor Brian Lim for lunch. I heard the grumblings of these demoralized supporters, whose loyalty started during Lim’s father’s mayorship stints, how the subalterns of Brian gave them a run around every time they want to meet him.

An illustration of a disgruntled person. Photo Credit: Goole. com

They unburdened to me their exasperation against the cordon sanitaire that screened the callers of the younger Lim in his office.

Four of these leaders who were responsible in bringing votes to the Lims every time they joined an electoral race deplored being sidelined by the younger Quatro de Jack’s members.

One of them blurted out: “It was liked the proverbial camel in the Bible entering the hole of a needle.”

Son of a gun, I just learned te - he there that even politician and not only the Devil can quote scripture too in the Gospel.

“During the mayorship of Mayor Belen I used my money for the renovation of the barangay hall. It cost me P3.5 million. Because I was identified with the Lims, the sitting mayor would not approve the release of the payment of the work charged to the barangay coffer that has P18 million a year annual appropriation budget,” the former village chief decried how Fernandez, who considered him a pet peeve, ruined him financially so he could be defeated in the next poll.

He attempted to talk with Mayor Brian Lim for several times but the Quatro de Jack (Four Jacks in the playing cards), a derision in Spanish of how a We Bulong Group is called, would not allow him.

“I unloaded my disappointment to Manang Celia (Lim’s mother who is also a member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council)) that until today I am not yet being paid for my personal monies I spent for the renovation of the barangay and the gym,” the smarting ex- Kap told me.

He said the Woman Friday, geez I forgot the name, of the Lim matriarch empathized with his plight.

Sus, the Civil Code of the Philippines has a provision on this we called: Unjust Enrichment.

Article 22 of the Code says: When a person unjustly retains a benefit to the loss of another, or when a person retains money or property of another against the fundamental principles of justice, equity, and good conscience.

That’s Unjust Enrichment, folks.

Nope, it’s far different to DWPR's Radio Commentator Renato “Atong” Remogat’s “Unjust Vexation” after I told him to read the online news headline of the Philippine Daily Inquirer: Lorna Kapunan found guilty of unjust vexation over statement vs UST law dean.

Unjust Vexation, found in Article 287-A of the Revised Penal Code talks about “that causes substantial emotional distress in such a person”.

“She’s a friend of mine and I will be calling her uncle former San Manuel, Pangasinan Mayor Badong Perez to inform him about this breaking news,” the Red Marlboro Ciggie’s chain - smoking Atong told me while we quaffed bottles of San Miguel Beer Lights at my house in Barangay Tapuac.

I digress and let’s go back to the Cuatro de Jack.

Another long time Lim and his father's supporter, a big time government contractor, told his umbrage to another media pal that he detested the We Bulong Group but still support the younger mayor who won the May 2019 election in a close shaved lead of 1,239 (1.4%) votes among the 97, 073 voters in the 31 villages’ main commercial hub of the Ilocos Region against incumbent six years mayor Belen Fernandez.

One of the major supporters no longer dropped by at the mayor’s office since 2019 because of disgust with those gate keepers there that allegedly lord the flood prone citadel of power of the coastal city.

A former Kapitan and an aquatic organization former leader said he was persecuted during the incumbency of Mayor Fernandez.

But he said the still moneyed Belen can make a run with the money of the younger Lim comes the May 2022 electoral derby for the mayorship.

“Quote me in your column that unless Brian will get rid himself of the Quatro de Jack he will lose the next election in 2022,” he dared me.

“Sigurado kayo mama’ (grandpa) isusulat ko pangalan ninyo?” I asked him.

“Oo, isulat mo,” he told me with conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, just liked those awardees of the Medal of Valor, several times.

But when I bid the group goodbye because of another important meeting, grandpa ex Kapitan, a known Lothario, and the other old guards begged me to make them anonymous versus their grievances to the present Gate Keepers of the chief executive of the 31 villages where I learned from one of them Lim’s got only three to four loyalist incumbent barangay chairmen.

“What, the 28 are for Belen?” It means the financial juggernaut of the former mayor still make magic to the 28 Kapitans,” my surprising remarked to one of them.

“That’s immaterial. When Brian won against Belen he got only the same numbers of kapitans. It is still the voters who have the say whom to vote and not to vote,” he poop poohed my incredulity.

I ain’t know the reason why the Quatro de Jack yanked out the Old Guards to be near the younger Lim but this column is open to get their (the Jacks) sides.

Just tell my friend and Ka Bisaya City Administrator Vlad Mata and I will hear why being a member of the Quatro de Jack is not a liability but instead an asset of Brian.

***

Read soon my next blog/column on my interview with Land Transportation Office Region-1 Chief Teofilo ”Jojo” Guadiz III after I posted this column online for all and sundry to read.

The soft spoken Guadiz, 59 and a lawyer, told me in an interview at the Bo’s Cafe nestled near the Judge Jose de Venecia Highway Extension in Dagupan City that the world class’ Dagupan Transport Terminal owned by the family of former Mayor Belen T. Fernandez violated the rules of the Land Transportation Franchising Board (LTFRB) when they constructed the hundreds of millions of pesos mammoth modern terminal for all public utility vehicles that enter the city.

“No. 2 na issue iyong pagawa ng terminal ay hinde sang-ayon sa panuntunan ng LTFRB. May batas na nilagay ang LTFRB na dapat may permit ka munang kunin sa LTFRB-Regional Office. May panuntunan ang LTFRB kung paano iyong proceso sa pagpatatayo ng terminal. Hinde nila na sunod po iyon,” excerpt of Guadiz interview as I recorded it.

I’ll try to contact the former mayor to get her or her family’s sides on the unflattering remarks of Director Guadiz.

(You can read my selected columns at mortzortigoza.blogspot.com and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com)