Bohol city and municipal councilors were given a ringside view Friday of how money politics was played out to the hilt by handlers and protagonists of the elections for new set of officers of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL), Bohol chapter. Clearly a question of money changing hands, Getafe Councilor Antonio “Tony Pet” Ouano and Carmen Councilor Ramonito “Monching” Torrefranca, fought valiantly to win the nod of 469 councilors in an elections seen as the most expensive in the history of the league. In a heart-rending showdown, Quano won by a margin of 61 votes beating the incumbent who was reportedly supported by the combined force of Gov. Edgar Chatto, Cong. Rene Relampagos, Cong. Arthur Yap and V-Gov. Concepcion Lim. Quano was no pushover in his bid to capture the PCL presidency. Backed up no less by 2nd district Cong. Aris Aumentado on account of his Getafe representation, it was from all accounts not a come-from-behind performance given his other high-profile supporters.

The likes of power couple Board Member Brigido “Boy” Imboy and his wife Loay Mayor Rosemarie Lim-Imboy were also in the forefront of the Ouano bid. This was backstopped by another moneyed “political asset” in former mayor Che Toribio de los Reyes who was all over the election venue to lend her support to Ouano—from start to finish. A councilor who was one of those who benefited from the PCL manna intimated to the Post that he was richer by as much as P12,000 since he accepted back-to-back, meaning from the two contenders. The same councilor went home grinning from ear-to-ear as the elections were over, comforted with the thought that he received money from the winner and the loser. For the feisty former Carmen mayor, it was public knowledge that she dished out, through her bagman, at least P3,000 to each councilor who “wandered” into Room 412 of the Bohol Plaza Resort, venue of Friday’s PCL elections.

The Toribio-de los Reyes “financial assistance” to her favored candidate was a “grudge fight” of sorts against Torrefranca who reportedly campaign actively against the Carmen mayor in her gubernatorial challenge against Chatto. In that fight, ex-mayor Che almost lost to Chatto in her own turf with a slim margin of only 126 votes. Apparently nursing a broken heart as a result of her poor performance in the last gubernatorial fray in her hometown, Torrefranca bore the brunt of the ex-mayor’s vendetta resulting in the humiliating defeat of the incumbent. In Carmen alone, only two out of 10 reportedly voted for the homegrown candidate, in another feat pulled off by the former Carmen mayor to defeat Torrefranca. Another Quano backer is the couple Ester and Chief Captain Jonas Acapulco of Laya, Baclayon town who lent a helping hand to Ouano to gain victory. The Acapulcos are business partners of Ouano in a joint venture in Surigao.

RUNNING MATE

The choice of Ouano’s running mate proved to be a plus factor for Ouano’s bid. The Getafe councilor chose Rochelle Brigitte Lim Imboy of Loay town, who garnered 234. She won as executive vice president of the league against her opponent Catigbian Kag. Ariel Lungay, who got a total of 211 votes. A daughter of Mayor Rosemarie Lim Imboy and incumbent provincial Board Member Brigido Z. Imboy, the tandem was a geographical combination of two congressional districts- second and third districts. With the elections ending way until early dawn Saturday, Ouano and other PCL officers-elect were officially proclaimed by DILG Provincial Director Louella Lucino with the assistance of Boni Quirog, secretary of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Right after the proclamation, Cong. Aumentado sworn them in as witnessed by PCL national chairman councilor Alan D. Zulueta of Tagum City, Davao del Norte, the DILG personnel, Danao Vice-Mayor Tom Gonzaga, and former Carmen mayor de los Reyes. Other officers-elect include: Mabini Councilor Crispina Vergara, vice-president-external; Garcia-Hernandez Kag. Edwin Baja, VP for internal affairs; Balilihan Kag. Bernard Lansang, VP for 1st district; Clarin Kag. Jose June Diezon, Carmen Kag. Atan Binlod, VP for 3rd district.

The board of directors are: Dimiao Kag. Nicomedes Tago, Kag. Felix Tan, Loay Kag. Jescelo Adiong, Kag. Constantino Atuel, Candijay Kag. Ann Piquero Dy, Sikatuna Kag. Jeremias Ellorimo, Garcia-Hernandez Kag. Carmen Jaminal, and Loboc Kag. Erwin Baquial; Kagawad Cecil Rebosura of Antequera as secretary-general; Kag. Victoria Lim of Valencia, deputy secretary-general; Kag. Ricky Masamayor, treasurer; Candijay Kag. Robert Olaer, assistant treasurer; Jagna Kag. Cesar Cagulada, business manager; Corella Kag. Danilo Bandala, auditor; Tubigon Kag. Paciente Fuentes, assistant auditor; Baclayon Kag. Romulo Balangkig, public relations officer for 1st district; Talibon Vicente Auza, PRO-2nd district; and Duero Kag. Pol Bernadas, PRO for 3rd district. The Local Government Code of 1991 under section 508 (b) provides for the creation of the PCL. “The duly elected president of the provincial federation of sanggunian members of the component cities and municipalities shall be an ex-officio member of the sangguniang panlalawigan concerned and shall serve as such only during his term of office as president” of such sanggunian federation, the Code said.