Was it pure and simple coincidence or a deliberate attempt to take away the luster of the campaign sorties of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) in the towns of Loon and Balilihan Wednesday? Quick to the defense of the twin moves, Gov. Edgar Chatto justified that there was nothing irregular in having the barangay assemblies in two towns, held at the same time with the UNA rallies. In his Friday radio program, “Kita ug ang Gobernador”, the governor said it was a clear mandate or right of each barangay as provided for by the Local Government Code to hold assemblies at least twice a year. As for the UNA event, Gov. Chatto said it was also the party’s right to hold rallies as allowed by law. He said those candidates who questioned the propriety of holding the barangay assemblies in time with the UNA affair should study the law because “it is very clear that it’s the right of the barangay officials to hold assemblies anytime they like”. He added that the municipalities concerned are generous enough because UNA was given permits to hold their campaign rallies in the gymnasiums of Loon and Balilihan. According to reports, the separate barangay assemblies experienced a heavy turnout because attendees were given at least three kilos of rice.

BAG-ONG BOL-ANON MAKES A HOWL

But the Bag-ong Bol-anon advocacy group which spearheaded the UNA stumps in Bohol refused to be cajoled into believing the barangay meetings in Loon and Baliulihan were not deliberate. Questioning its timing, Bag-ong Bol-anon stalwarts reasoned out why only in Loon and Balilihan were the assemblies held while in other towns no such synchronized schedule was made. Loon and Balilihan are the bailiwicks of Gov. Chatto and Cong. Rene Relampagos, respectively. The barangay assemblies in these towns were held last Wednesday, the day the UNA senatorial bets visited Bohol for the start of their campaign trail in this province. Bohol UNA leaders asked why only in these two towns were the barangay assemblies were held when it used to be synchronized all over the province or all over the country in compliance with an existing directive of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

UNA IN BOHOL

The synchronized assemblies in two Bohol towns notwithstanding, the opposition UNA went on to hold rallies and whistle stops in at least four towns and one city. The Bohol campaign drive brought the UNA to Tubigon, Calape, Loon and Balilihan. The campaign ended with a big rally at the Tagbilaran City Square Wednesday afternoon. Led by Vice President Jejomar Binay, the opposition UNA was also joined by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. Former President Erap Estrada, one of the so-called “Three Kings”, and his son JV Ejercito, also an UNA senate bet, failed to show up in the Bohol visit. The other UNA bets were Nancy Binay, Tingting Cojuangco, Jack Enrile, former senators Dick Gordon, Ernesto Maceda, Migs Zubiri, Congresswoman Mitos Magsaysay and Gringo Honasan.