The root causes of all the mess in Lakas have been traced to the sinister “kangaroo” moves of a faction poised to leap to the opposition Nacionalista Party (NP). This “kangaroo leap” could be understood as either by actual jumping to the enemy camp or secretly campaigning for its candidates, according to Padayon Bol-anon, an advocacy group of loyal party leaders provincewide. Meanwhile, Lakas-Kampi-CMD gubernatorial bet Rep. Edgar Chatto and vice gubernatorial runningmate Board Member Concepcion Lim led a provincial caravan in a campaign salvo touted as a “caravan of force”. The road show was joined by congressional bets ex-Gov. Rene Relampagos of the First District and Mayor Judith Cajes of the Second District, and the slate for board members. Rep. Roberto Cajes joined them in Talibon. A simultaneous Arthur Yap caravan motored in Third District where he runs for congressman since the Chatto-led motorcade could impossibly complete a provincewide tour in a day with already scheduled First and Second District town rallies and stopovers. The caravan, however, passed interior Third District towns.

The root causes of the troubles buffeting Lakas now would prove that falsely blaming Chatto, the present provincial party head, and other leaders were grossly unfair, Padayon Bol-anon asserted. One major event that had led to many anti-party acts was the exodus of 26 mayors to NP last year. It was done while then provincial party chairman Gov. Erico Aumentado went abroad with the group of Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. No one in the camp that sticks to Lakas would believe that the bolting to NP had no permission from Aumentado, especially that it occurred while he was supposedly in another country. Aumentado called a provincial party meeting upon his return and had the new NP recruits “reaffirming” their loyalty to Lakas which they -presumably abandoned. That reaffirmation was a mere drama, according to the Lakas leaders. Before Aumentado left for another foreign trip also last year, he told Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera not to slide to First District congressman even in front of the president.

This was so because Aumentado already sensed that it would ultimately be Chatto clinching the official Lakas nomination for governor, and he wanted Herrera to be the NP front man in Bohol. It was part of the “grand design of deception” that the party's own “fault” of not choosing Herrera for governor would appear to be the main culprit for his jumping to NP. Chatto has never been a problem of Lakas in Bohol , declared the Padayon Bol-anon. Also last year, Herrera assured former Rep. Eladio Jala of being personally escorted by the governor to Villar of NP should Yap get the Lakas anointment for Third District congressman. But this did never happen since Jala was appointed by the president to the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). Aumentado never blasted Herrera and ex-Provincial Administrator Tomas Abapo, Jr. for abandoning Lakas. He instead surprisingly accused Chatto and other genuine Lakas men of treachery. Lim, Chatto's vice governor, was herself then inspired by Aumentado and some people close to him to run for vice governor against Cajes, who was at that time already fixed for vice governor under Lakas.

Padayon Bol-anon said the above events could only indicate that the victory or defeat of Herrera, Abapo or Lim would not matter to Aumentado as long as they would all carry Villar for president. The national party leadership issued a Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) to Cajes' wife for Second District congresswoman as it revoked Aumentado's CONA for acts inimical to party interest. Thus, the husband Cajes decided in the last minute to withdraw from the vice gubernatorial race and run for mayor in Trinidad . He was instantly replaced by Third District Rep. Adam Relson Jala, who was finally substituted, as allowed by the Comelec, by Lim. Aumentado's manifesto frontmen led by Catigbian Mayor Salinas would want the people to mistakenly regard them as the victims of the prevailing party chaos and not the traitors who caused it. But they met with Villar in Cebu City when they ought to join Lakas presidential bet Gibo Teodoro during Chatto's birthday in Balilihan last February 21. Aumentado came but already when Gibo, other guests and hundreds of other well-wishers were gone, In front of Chatto's staff and waiters, Aumentado raised the hand of Chatto and “proclaimed” him to be his successor. On the next Sunday after that occasion, Aumentado's group published their first manifesto attacking Chatto and other loyal party leaders.

PARTY LONG MADE A KANGAROO COURT

According to Padayon Bol-anon, the party was made a “Kangaroo Court” long before Aumentado turned over the provincial chairmanship to Chatto. Aumentado already put in place two slates in Bohol to serve Lakas and NP. The “kangaroo system jumped overhead Chatto,” bypassing him when he, as the gubernatorial candidate, was supposed to have the crucial say in choosing municipal slates, especially in the Second and Third Districts, according to Padayon Bol-anon. But Chatto and other party leaders managed to field men who are true to the party. Party leaders said Aumentado's group miserably failed to deceive the public in their “kangaroo manifestos” that charged, tried and sentenced by publicity Chatto and other sincere Lakas bigwigs. The Boholanos already knew who could “leap like kangaroos” into the enemy camp, Padayon Bol-anon said.

AUMENTADO PROVES COALITION IN MEETING

Aumentado group's manifesto deceived the people in insisting that there was no meeting to prove the coalition with Relampagos, head of the LDP in Bohol. In the party meeting at Hotel La Roca on November 28, Aumentado himself loudly welcomed the coalition and supported the coalition candidacy of Relampagos for congressman. His declaration was applauded even by the mayors who are now signers of the manifesto denying the coalition. They were there. Aumentado expanded the coalition by asking Relampagos to issue LDO CONAs to candidates in Ubay and getafe .

NO EXPULSION; NINJA TURTLES

Lakas leaders put the record straight that the mayors in Getafe , Talibon and Dagohoy have never been expelled from the party contrary to the false claim of Aumentado's group. There is no need to expel any party members who have long “expelled” themselves by their own acts of treason to the party, Padayon Bol-anon said. “And why should the party kick Aumentado's group out when it knows the group would be so pleased that finally they could have “valid ground” to join NP and openly campaign for enemy candidates?” Lakas leaders asked. Aumentado, Salinas and other party troublemakers were described as “Ninja Turtles.” “As ninjas, they are masked yet their identities and motive have become mirror clear. As turtles, they cry and plead for fear of drowning yet longing deep inside to be thrown into the water,” according to Lakas men.

ANOTHER DECEPTION

Padayon Bol-anon said deception has gone high gear when Aumentado's group falsely told the public that Chatto and company negotiated with Liberal Party and other groups. The group said they are never leaving Lakas and would campaign for Gibo Teodoro and other party bets from start to finish. On the contrary, people in Catigbian revealed that Salinas was seen with the Liberal Party group in a meeting in Poblacion last Saturday. The mayor spoke against lakas leaders in that gathering. Chatto's group was amused by Aumentado camp's intrigue that the former blamed the national party leaders for revoking Aumentado's CONA. National Party Sec-Gen. Francis Manglapus had declared in a live radio interview that the revocation was a national party decision and that Chatto had no knowledge about it. In their third manifesto published last Wednesday, the disgruntled party elements did not own Gibo Teodoro as their candidate for president. They called Teodoro “his (Chatto's) candidate.” Lakas men said Aumentado's camp should instead help bolster Teodoro's candidacy, not continue to sow hatred against Lakas, since the party's presidential bet is not a top survey rater.

OPENING SALVO

The Lakas provincial slate led by Chatto and Lim heard mass at the Cogon Shrine in Tagbilaran City and asked blessing before they toured the province in their grand opening campaign salvo. (Fotos of the opening salvo are published elsewhere in this issue.) The candidates for board members attending the mass included Cesar Tomas Lopez, Abel Damalerio, Benjie Arcamo, Brigido Imboy who is the Bohol president of the Philippine Councilors' League, Josil Trabajo, Godofreda Tirol, and Aster Apalisok-Piollo The mass was also attended by the city slate led by mayoralty bet Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso and vice mayoralty aspirant Poblacion 2 captain Glorivic dela Serna. From the city, the Padayon Bol-anon caravan made whistle stop in each town it passed. It rolled to Tubigon and San Jose , Talibon where the respective municipal slates there were proclaimed. The group stopped at the residence of Getafe mayoralty bet Manuel Monillas for lunch. The Tubigon ticket of Lakas is led by Mayor Luna Piezas and Virgilio Fortich for vice mayor while that in Talibon by Restituto Auxtero for mayor and Marcus Aurestila for vice mayor. The motorcade moved to San Miguel and Dagohoy down to Carmen and Bilar until Loboc where a Yap caravan was done. Loboc is the place of Yap 's wife. The caravan proceeded to Loay en route back to the city.

“GREEN, ORANGE” MIX IN TALIBON

While Chatto's group proclaimed the Talibon slate in barangay San Jose , Aumentado figured in the proclamation rally of another “green” municipal slate in Poblacion. Green is the color of the Lakas presidential bet. But in the very same venue where Aumentado was, “orange” people led by Herrera barged in to proclaim certain municipal slates. Orange is the color of the NP presidential candidate. Lakas leaders regarded the “coincidental” proclamations of two warring parties in one venue as “too telling” while the issue of betrayal to Lakas by its own men for NP”s favor heats up. The mix-up of the two colors beclouds the supposed sincerity of the Lakas faction led by Aumentado, according to Padayon-Bol-anon. (Ven rebo Arigo)