By: Joe Sprite

In this column, a few weeks ago mention of a possible scenario in the Third District and Jagna politics. Developments resulting from the column had been startling. Angelo Balili, Dionisio Balite, Eladio Jala and Fortunato Abreuilla and Rene Relampagos were mentioned and their relative strengths analyzed. All of them except for Abrenilla are well known in the area. However, I would not sell the last one short. Abrenilla comes from the vote rich town of Jagna and though he is Manila based, he never forgets to be in Jagna during holidays and fiestas. Jagna votes can be a sizable reserve. When the campaign starts, the picture may change.

Besides, if Abrenilla will just get some of the mayors in the Group of Ten, that will be an advantage indeed. Eksam Lloren may go for Bicbic even if he will run as Congressman under the Akbayan banner as rumored. Bicbic is also a close relative of Stephen Rances of Mabini. Maning Tan and Myrna Schreurs may also go for him being neighbors unless they have previous commitments. Guindulman, Garcia Hernandez and Duero towns are daughters of Jagna as history goes. Jagnaanons have plenty of relatives in those towns. Other thing being equal, a Jagnaanon candidate will have an advantage.

The administration party has not yet spoken. Gov. Erico Aumentado as the titular head of the party has not expressed any preference yet. He has a big voice on who will be the official candidate of the administration. The Jagna king maker, Justice Bernardo Ll. Salas is dead and nobody was able to step into his shoes. The nomination for official candidacy is up for grabs. We received a long distance call from Paris Macarayan. We did not categorically state that he is running for Mayor. We only stated that he is a mayoralty timber but as of now Eksan is still hard to beat. However, many things can happen. If Eksam will not run, this column will go for Paris . He is a good campaigner and will make a good administrator judging from his service record. There will be a time for him.

One of the shocks in life that we had received was that a fellow columnist of the Post Leo Udtohan floated rumors of our intention to run for municipal councilor. Nothing is so far from the truth. We wondered where he got the idea. We never had the intention of running. In the first place, we do not know how to campaign. A politician must be a good campaigner first and a good administrator or lawmaker second. The second may be forgotten when one wins.

As a computer information systems analyst, we are development and results oriented, very different from a campaigner. We had called a spade a spade instead of the diplomatese digging instrument. This means, we could be blunt no matter what the other fellow feels. We cannot not pussy foot around. We had been commissioned to straighten out information systems in some local government units. We have made them functional but petitions came thick and fast asking for our removal. With a trait like that, we would never win a political position, not in a lifetime.