BM Cruz Ika-3 "Most Powerful Politician" sa Prov'l Politics

 Ni Mortz C. Ortigoza, MPA

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Si Board Member Philip Theodore Cruz ang ikatatlong pinakamataas na elective official sa termino ng succession sa dambuhalang lalawigan ng Pangasinan, batay sa paliwanag ng Bise Gobernador.

MOST POWERFUL men in Pangasinan’s provincial politics. Second District Board Member Philip Theodore Cruz (left photo), Governor Ramon V. Guico III (top right photo), and Vice Governor Mark Ronald Lambino. 

Ang Local Government Code ay nagsasabi na “If a permanent vacancy occurs in the offices of the governor, vice-governor,… the highest ranking sanggunian member or, in case of his permanent inability, the second highest ranking sanggunian member, shall become the governor, vice-governor,…, as the case may be…”

Ayon kay Vice Governor Mark Ronald Lambino ang pormula sa pagkahirang sa kay BM Cruz ay naaayon sa batas na.

Ani Local Government Code: “The ranking of Sanggunian members for purposes of succession based solely on the proportion of votes obtained to the total number of registered voters in the district”.

“… (B)ecause you take the total number of votes received divided by the total number of voters per district,” dagdag ng batang bise gobernador.

Naging isyu itong pagiging ikatatlo sa line of succession noong nabanggit ng writer na ito sa kay Lambino ang kasong umabot sa Korte Suprema na Victoria versus Commission on Elections kung saan si Juan D. Victoria (Albay 2^nd District) ay kinasuhan niya sa Korte Supreme ang Commission on Election (Comelec) sa pamamagitan ng Petition for Certiorari sa ilalim ng Rule 65 ng Revised Rules of Court kung bakit hindi siya ang inilagay na Senior Board Member kahit na nakakuha siya ng  32,918 mga boto laban kay Board Member Jesus James Calisin (Albay 1^st District) na meron lang 28, 335 votes noong Mayo 11, 1992 eleksyon. Ito ay matapos maalis sa posisyon si Albay Governor Romeo Salalima at napalitan siya ni Vice Governor Danila Azana sa pagiging gobernador.

Ani Korte Suprema: “The COMELEC's resolution was grounded in the provisions of the Local Government Code which stipulates that the ranking of Sanggunian members for succession should be determined by the proportion of votes obtained relative to the total number of registered voters, without mention of actual voting turnout. The relevant section explicitly states that this proportionality serves as the basis for ranking, which the court observed to be clear and unambiguous”.

Ani Bise Gobernador Lambino na walang isang porsiyento ang pagkakaiba ni BM Cruz kay Pangasinan 3^rd District BM Dr. Shiela Baniqued kung ibabase ang mga boto nila sa proporsyon ng mga boto na may kaugnayan sa dami ng registered voters sa mga distrito nila.

 Si Cruz at Baniqued ay nakakuha ng 206,420, 253,736 o pagkakaiba ng 47, 094 na mga boto pabor sa babaeng mambabatas, ayon sa record ng Comelec noong Mayo 12 na halalan.

“Full disclosure ay No. 1 si BM Philip Cruz, No. 2 si BM Sheila Baniqued. Difference nila is less than 1% pa rin,” paliwanag ni Vice Gov. Lambino.

Itong pagiging No. 1 ni BM Cruz ay base sa utos ng batas na “proportion of votes obtained to the total number of registered voters in the district”.

“Of course hindi equitable iyang distribution kasi may mga distrito po tayo na ang voting population ay nasa 300,000 lang. May iba pa 400,000, may mga siyudad (pa nakasali na) may kalahating milyon kaya may tendency na kung minsan madaling maging senior board doon sa distrito na mas maliit ang voting population,” paliwanag Lambino sa writer na ito.

Dagdag pa niya na first time na naging Senior Board Member (SBM) si Baniqud noong 11^th Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) (taong 2022 – 2025).

“It’s actually the first time noong panahon ni Board Member Shiela Baniqued na mag Senior Board (Member sa) 3^rd District – that was the first time. Prior to Board Member Baniqued it was Board Member (Chinky Perez) Tababa (5th District) who was the Senior Board during the 10^th. During the 9^th and 8^th Sanggunian it was Board Member Nonong Fontelera of the 1^st District. Ngayon we have po based on the percentages ang Senior Board ay si Board Member Philip Cruz ng 2^nd District”.

Si BM Cruz ay anak ni dating Pangasinan 2^nd District Congressman Teodoro Cruz na taga Mangatarem, Pangasinan. Isang dating miyembro ng United States Marine Corps, Mayor, at Vice Mayor ng nasabing first class town.