Apparently emboldened of what befell Gov. Edgar Chatto, the gubernatorial challenger has called on the incumbent to resign. In one of her radio broadcasts, Carmen Mayor Che Toribio de los Reyes was quoted as telling the governor to step down “ if only to spare the Boholanos of his leadership now spanning a total of 22 years”. Bohol needs a new blood as personified by the candidates of the advocacy group, “Ang Bag-ong Bol-anon” which she represented as secretary-general, the combative Carmen declared. In a cruel twist of fate while vacationing to celebrate the New Year in the uppity resort of Bellevue in Panglao, Gov. Chatto reportedly broke his leg resulting in injury meriting hospitalization at the Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu City. The leg injury triggered speculations that it was serious prompting the urgent call of his gubernatorial opponent for him to resign. A Capitol press release yesterday said that the governor was fast recovering from the bad fall but there are talks circulating around that he is set for treatment in the United States. Talks of stateside treatment are being considered if at all the injury needs expert surgical operations.

FOLLOW VOICE OF PEOPLE

In reaction to the mayor’s call for resignation, Gov. Chatto sent a press statement last night telling his opponent to “follow the voice of the people”. According to Chatto, “public service is a public trust. It is a solemn contract with the people. All we have to do is listen to the voice of the people. The voice of the people is the voice of God. It is the supreme law. Hence, hence public service cannot be subject to contractual agreement between two contractual agreement between two parties as what Mayor Che seems to suggest”. The governor’s comment came as a friendly advice to Mayor Che when asked by media to comment on the mayor’s statements on radio. In the same radio broadcast, the outspoken lady mayor openly asked the governor to give her the chance to serve adding she is “only good for one term” After one term, she said, the job of steering the Capitol wheel is given back to Chatto. But Chatto was unfazed given the mayor’s perorations to give her a chance even for one term. The same Capitol press release showed that surveys after surveys have all indicated unprecedented lead of Gov. Chatto in all three congressional districts if elections where held today. Political observers including many from the business sector are saying Mayor de los Reyes should have opted to really prove her brand of leadership in Carmen town before aspiring for any higher post. The culture of Bohol politics is always for clean, orderly and honest elections. Pre-empting a worst-case scenario, the press release said if the mayor’s agenda is to perpetuate the culture of using guns, goons and gold, then she has to be told that that this kind of political manuever has no place in Bohol politics.