By Mortz C. Ortigoza
I saw inside the office of
Binmaley Mayor Pete Merrera elective officials of Barangay San Isidro Sur
witnessing the swearing by the Hizzoner of First Kagawad (No. 1 elected
lawmaker) Florencia Fernandez Rosario as the new village chairman.
“What happened to the original Kapitan (old term by the Pinoys of the Chairman used to be called Teniente del Barrio in the 1960s),” I asked.
 |
| A jailbird serving his dues in the brig. Photo is internet grabbed. |
“He was convicted by the court of Frustrated Murder,” one of the
Kagawads retorted.
“Grabe naman
bailable iyang frustrated murder bakit pinili pa ni Kap na makulong?” I
surprisingly quipped.
Butch Merrera – the groomed next
Kap of Brgy. Malindong and the older brod of the Mayor – told me that beleaguered
Kapitan Benjamin Oliveros is no longer allowed the privilege of a bail because his
conviction in the Regional Trial Court in Lingayen was already upheld by the
Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court after he and his lawyer appealed to
them.
In short, Oliveros is going to
the slammer in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP)
in Muntinlupa City to pay his dues there for countless of years.
***
After two months of being
convicted by the High Court, Oliveros was confined in a hospital for ailment
while the second highest elected Kagawad – a woman – served in the acting
capacity as the leader of the village.
The No. 1 elected kagawad
Florencia was in the U.S and just arrived in the coastal first class town
recently to be eventually sworn into office.
“Are you going to file your certificate of candidacy (CoC) this coming
August for the October barangay election?” I posed to the probably 60 years
old plus newly minted Kapitana.
She answered in the affirmative.
“I hope you
did not file the same CoC in America otherwise you’ll be disqualified in
the race for the top village’s post this year,” I told her jocularly in Tagalog.
She and her party chuckled.
***
I remembered another Kapitan who confided to me when we met in the mayor’s office where he narrated being sued
by his rival in the ABC Presidency (called by law now as President of the
League of the Barangays and equivalent to the town's Councilor). He was sued in the RTC with
Usurpation of Powers and Unlawful Appointment and Perjury.
When he and the ABC Prexy
reconciled years later the latter told him that he would fila a motion of
desistance or whatever the lawyer terms it so his criminal cases go to the bin.
The Kap told his former nemesis:
Thanks but no thanks. My patron a high official would intercede for me by
talking to the Judge whom he thought was indebted to him.
Several months passed by: Kap was
convicted by the Regional Trial Court.
Hindi umubra ang persuassion ni high government official, hahaha!
The conviction was upheld by the
C.A and the poor chairman is waiting the decision at the Supreme Court.
What if the High Court convicts
me? He posed anxiously to me.
You go to the jailhouse and
pay your dues there despite your old age, I commented.
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MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA
I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.
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