Davide with Martinez is like oil and water!

I watched a CCTN interview by Divine Marcial yesterday of Bogo Mayor Celestino “Junnie” Martinez Jr. who was obviously thrilled with the huge crowd that greeted celebrities, Kris Aquino and Boy Abunda and yes, the LP candidate Noynoy Aquino who held a rally in Bogo. The tv shots of the crowd waving at Kris Aquino and Boy Abunda cannot be denied that the people of Bogo and Bantayan Island came out to see those celebrities; after all, Bogo and Bantayan is so far away, it is only during election time that they get to see these personalities in person.

When Junnie was asked by the CCTN reporter the poignant question “Did the people come out to greet Kris or Noynoy?” Junnie’s reply was to lead the reporter to ask one of the fans who said, “Basta Aquino kami.” The answer is more than obvious that the crowd came out to see Kris Aquino and Boy Abunda because we know too well that Noynoy on his own cannot get a crowd just by himself.

When the reporter asked Junnie why so many people have come out his reply was, “Because people want change.” Hmmm, I fully agree with the observations of Junnie Martinez that the people of Bogo want change. They are sick and tired of the very same political family that has ruled Bogo - from Junnie, his wife Clavel and then his son Tining. Please don’t get me wrong; I’m merely using the argument of Junnie that people want change.

I have known Junnie Martinez since we were together with the United Nationalists Democratic Organization (UNIDO) the only political party I ever joined long before I became a journalist. UNIDO was a conglomerate of all the opposition parties belonging to the Nacionalista Party (NP) and Liberal Party (LP) to do battle with the monolith called Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) of the Marcoses. But since then, in order to keep him in perpetual power, Junnie has joined so many political parties, we have lost count of all of them. The last party he was involved, I think, was the Lakas.

Being always in the graces of the powers-that-be, when Junnie’s wife Clavel Asas Martinez got involved in that infamous P26.5 million Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) scam, where the money allegedly landed (there is a paper trail that led investigators to this scam) in her personal bank account, the Office of the Ombudsman never resolved this obviously corrupt deal because the Martinez’s are so powerful and very well-connected.

So the Martinez’s were “favored” by the GMA Administration and now they are looking at the Aquino’s as their new patrons? Doesn’t seem so nice to know that the spotless Jun Jun Davide who is running for Governor has to embrace people like the Martinez’s as their partners in this election. Walang corrupt? They are like oil and water! Incidentally, one of the mudslinging that the LP has pinned on GIBO Teodoro is a question whether or not he would pursue a case against GMA. Maybe we should ask Sen. Noynoy Aquino this same question that if he becomes President whether he would ask the Ombudsman to file a case against former Rep. Clavel Asas Martinez?

The problem happening in Bogo is that Junnie is one of the biggest, if not the biggest landlords there. Thus he has a distinct advantage (including his own DyCM radio propaganda machine) of being a landlord, employer and mayor rolled into one. I admire the courage of Mrs. Mariquita Salimbangon Yeung (MSY) for openly challenging the Martinez political monolith in the 4th District because taking from the very words of Junnie Martinez himself, “People want change” and we will not argue with him because he is correct.

So the people in Bogo are in a historic crossroad in their political life. They can choose to retain Junnie Martinez and stay within their comfort zones or they can choose to change their leadership through MSY. As for the candidate for President, only GIBO Teodoro has the plans and programs to effect a real and honest-to-goodness change. So let the people of the 4th District relish seeing those famous celebrities. However, when they go to the polling precincts, it is not Kris Aquino or Boy Abunda whom they will be voting for; it will be GIBO Teodoro.

Last Sunday the Cebu Green Team had a 120-vehicle caravan to the 4th District. The people greeted us, waved at us, shouting GIBO! We were only GIBO volunteers, paying for our own gasoline and food. Although Vice-Mayor Mic Mic Miranda and Diana Franco surprised us with a feast at the Mercedes Plantation golf course. We had no celebrities with us, but we were greeted with the same enthusiasm like Kris Aquino, all except that white Starex van with plate no. YGE-717 who overtook the caravan and threw wads of Noynoy leaflets into the road, virtually littering the road. We have a photo of this vehicle in Facebook. Mga abNoy’s are bastos!