Although he is now left to his own devices, Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera also felt the pain inflicted on the colorful political career of Gov. Erico Aumentado who was said to be betrayed by his own party mates in the dominant Lakas-Kampi CMD. The sadness notwithstanding, Herrera is determined as ever to capture the gubernatorial plum soon to be vacated by Aumentado. Aumentado was left holding the empty bag in his bid to run for his old Congress post in the second district when his Lakas team mates—Cong. Edgar Chatto and Roberto Cajes reportedly worked for the revocation of his Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) as Lakas candidate in the second district. Chatto, however, denied having engineered Aumentado's predicament saying it was the handiwork of the Lakas national directorate. As an aftermath of the betrayal issue, Aumentado is keeping his hopes alive to stay in the party that he was loyal of for the past nine years. As it stands now, however, he is without any opponent in defending his old post from a strong challenge of Trinidad Mayor Judith Cajes. The lady Cajes is backed up by the resources of the two incumbent congressmen, Chatto and Cajes.

THE BETRAYAL

“There is nothing to justify the betrayal,” the vice-governor said in reaction to the controversy over the last-minute filing of certificate of candidacy of the Trinidad mayor challenging Aumentado in the second district. What made it more painful for Aumentado was the attempt to strip him of the Lakas certificate of nomination and acceptance (Cona) and give it to Mayor Cajes instead. Herrera, who resigned from Lakas to run for governor under the Nacionalista Party (NP), said he was sure he would not get the Lakas nomination due to the manipulation of Chatto and Cajes. The vice-governor said that what eventually drove him to resign from Lakas was the thought of running with the people who have betrayed Aumentado. Herrera recalled that while he was on the same political faction with Chatto and ex-Gov. Rene Relampagos prior to the 2001 elections, he honored his commitments to Aumentado in the 2004 election. “I am transparent in all my actions and politics is no different,” he added.

The 2004 elections became controversial when Aumentado lost in Balilihan town, Chatto's bailiwick and in the entire first district. Herrera, however, made good on his promise to deliver in Calape and averted a deeper trouble for Aumentado in a district where he was supposed to win considering that Chatto was virtually unopposed. The vice-governor said that with Chatto's move to maneuver Relampagos' entry into Lakas as its first district bet, the suspicion that the two conspired against Aumentado in 2004 can no longer be denied.   Herrera pointed out that with all the back-stabbing, betrayal and double-talk, he has become even more determined in his gubernatorial bid. “I believe that the Boholano people deserve more than politicians who have no other agenda but to promote their own selfish interest,” he added. The vice-governor recalled that he gave way to Chatto for the first district in 2001 but he will no longer give way for the gubernatorial post next year. Herrera said that he is even more determined in the light of the people's disillusionment with the national government's inability to uplift the people's lives. “Corruption has become a way of life to many government officials but I intend to do my share to fight it,” he added. The vice-governor said he will expose the corrupt activities of politicians so the people will really get to know what kind of officials they voted into office.