CONGRESSMAN-HERE YESTERDAY

The Observer was told this morning by one from there that Cong. Bambe Emano was in Tillights, Highland Park in Pagahan yesterday, Sunday meeting his partymates there with Mayor Gogoy in tow, and that for sure they conferred how they would start their local campaigns in the district when the period comes. And it was said of course they were affirming their strategies and tactics on how they would strengthen their upperhand and win the race come 13th May elections.

GOGOY WILL SUFFER HIS FIRST DEFEAT

A Franciscan confided recently that since there is always the first time, this is it for the mayor who has not suffered losing in Initao politics. He wants his identity hidden for he was once a Gogoyet. He reasoned that defeat for the Mayor is now possible due to the following circumstances; 1. Gipurdoy and Initao, 2. Gipurdoy iya asawa 3. iya pud gipurdoy siya kay sigi kapilde sa sabong. His financiers though these days, the Franciscan said, are Susan Balabat, Farley Zalsos, Penny Buhian, Karla Carbonilla, ug uban pa. "Ayohon lang ni Francis pagdescarte karon, pilde na, he said.

FRANCIS WILL BE DEFEATED

A voter/resident here who wants his identity hidden recently said, the opposition challenger for mayor Francis Balabat will certainly get defeat the second time against Mayor Gogoy. This is certain, he said, for Francis does not have the complete necessary elements of winning as "gold and goons". Cesar Orquillas and him, he continued, sufferred defeats in Gogoy's hands due to these and here comes another round of political exercise that again will be just the same show of force and non-force. Maybe, he added, if Francis go toe to toe with Gogoy with those, he may have the chance.

IT'S EMIE AFTER ALL

Yesterday in Echavez residence, her daughter Tata told the Observer that the widow of the Late Maning Echavez, Emie, will take his slot as councilor in the opposition ticket of the Liberal Party. This was the opinion of many here that she will take it after the family reached the agreement in consultation with party mates and local political stalwarts. "Siya na", Tata said.

GOGOY-UNPOPULAR

A resident/voter who does not like getting identified here said the mayor in the actual sense is no longer popular considering what happened to his wife Alen whom he said was planned by Gogoy to become a political casualty. She fled, the source said, to give way for him to be back to his position as mayor. "Gaawaton ang sa Lugait, he said, only the way he did it was not good. And being popular as what the Observer's crude survey says, is nothing he pointed out, for they were only ten and not representing the over nineteen thousand registered voters of Initao. What popularity remains of Gogoy now, he continued, is in his lapdogs who are in survival mode realizing that theirs depend largely on Gogoy remaining in office.

GOV-NOT RECEIVED

Vemin Lozano, ex-LGOO recently said that when Norris Babiera and his party went to Bgy. Kamelon last week, they were not received by the barangay council there. Only the treasurer was present and did what the Barangay Chair and Councilors should have done if they were there, she said. As officials of Kamelon, though they are not his partymates, they must have given him due respect being the provincial chief executive,Lozano continued. What happened there only showed who they are and what kind of officials Bgy. Kamelon has, she said.

MAYOR STILL POPULAR

For Gogoy-Francis,the Observer made a rather random and crude research in the locality on who voters prefer at this point, pre-campaign period. Of the ten people interviewed, seven favor the mayor and three for the challenger. Although this is not and will not be the same when campaign period comes, this is telling something like: the mayor is still popular among voters here. And here's why is this so: 1. Gogoy, they said, "sayon duolon",2. Mitabang sa ilang kalisud, 3. matubag ilang panginahanglan. And Francis is not so known by them. He is to build his political image yet to be acceptable to the voting public.

POSTMAN-OVERLOADED

The new postmaster of Initao, Franco Villa, 47 who lives in Dolong, Libertad is also taking charge of two other towns namely; Gitagum and Libertad. He said, he is overloaded. In his office this morning when the Observer paid him a visit, Villa said the mails are getting mountainous that he rarely could deliver them to consignees on time. "Di ko katindog sa inkuran sa kadaghan ako atimanon nga sulat." The regional office, said he, moved to supplement manpower but election ban prevented it. He will get relieved of his problem till after the May 13 elections, he said.

FAMILY-IN A HUDDLE

The Echavez family of the Late Maning is yet to agree who will take his place in the local LP slot for May 13, says the widow Mrs Emy Echavez when the Observer paid her a visit in their home this morning. Though she showed her reluctance, by saying "basig mapilde na sad ta", she also showed interest to fill in that slot by asking who should be best to replace her husband. Then she asked for the current total number of voters of Initao, and the needed votes to be in the magic eight winning councilors' slots? she got the answers and began counting. She said she the Observer will be informed when they shall have arrived at the decision.

NO REPLACEMENT AS YET

The slot of the late Manuel Echavez as one candidate for councilor is yet to be filled. The COMELEC here says the family knows that it is one right for them to exercise who among them the replacement might and must be. This time they may be in deep comtemplation yet due to the recent passing of Maning who, people know, has a following. "Automatic man na gikan sa ila nga pamilya ang ipuli", a COMELEC employee said.

NOT YET REPLACED

In the office of the COMELEC this afternoon, Dina Cabunoc, Initao Municipal Election Officer said that she has not been replaced as yet. She belied reports that another took her place here though she said there will be shuffling of election officers nationwide. This day she said, is for the Metro Manila and Luzon that election officers are re-shuffled, and for the Visayas and Mindanao, that will be March yet. Cabunoc said she is not replaced but told to be assigned elsewhere for the coming May elections. In another development, Cabunoc is re-planning the candidates' furom that was stalled due to circumstances like candidates on vacation, etc. and not in the locality. Before the campaign period, she said, this will happen probably the third week of March.