PROMISING, VERY promising – not a bit of sarcasm there – is Angeles City Councilor Ares Yabut in his bid for Pampanga’s 1st congressional district seat.
Cong Ares embodies the promise of youth – the perfect foil to the septuagenarian House sitter, the venerable Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin.
Young he may be, but Cong Ares has the length – forget the depth – of experience in legislation, albeit at the city level, having served three terms as councilor.
And no demeaning “Kuhol” moniker can be appended on Cong Ares, as was so effectively impacted on Mang Tarzan’s rival, and deeply ingrained in the electorate’s mind in the 2007 polls.Cong Ares – if we believe young photo-journalist Jamie Hipolito – is moviestar material in the mold of Bong Revilla.
Indeed, Cong Ares will not a palooka make against Mang Tarzan in the congressional ring.
So sad therefore that the promise of a good fight in May 2010 already ended for Cong Ares long before the official filing of candidacy, right on the day he proclaimed his intention to run against Mang Tarzan. His first hurrah serving his last too, even before going up the ring, so to speak.
The picture of a triumphant Cong Ares, hands raised in endorsement by one contactor Bernie Cruz, with Liga ng mga Barangay president Robin Nepomuceno and Councilor Agapito del Rosario serving as seconds to the fighter, provided the very knock-out punch to the congressional challenger.
Yeah, to what depths of impropriety has Cong Ares descended by having his hand raised by a contractor!
Cong Ares could not get any man of honor and respect to endorse him so he opted for a contractor? Or, Cong Ares so believed in the power of this contractor Bernie Cruz to make him win that he would not have anyone raised his hand but him?
Whichever, the impropriety of it all remains the same.
Pray, tell, what will the electorate make out of a candidate with a contactor for endorser? A partnership, nay, an unholy alliance that reeks of the lard from the congressional pork barrel, euphemized first as the congressional development fund (CDF), and now as the priority development assistance fund (PDAF): The vote to Ares Yabut, the PDAF contracts to Bernie Cruz.
Fears such a scenario fosters in the electorate are not unfounded. As affirmed by our front page story here Thursday: ‘Yabut endorser cornering contracts in Angeles City.’
“(Councilor Jay) Sangil disclosed that B.P. Cruz Builders got the contract for the re-channeling of the portion of the Abacan River. The funds for the project, he added, would come from the calamity fund. The M.S. Cruz, on the other hand, is reportedly Mark Cruz, son of Bernie…
“In the same minutes of the meeting, Sangil and Councilor Willie Rivera alleged that some of the contracts awarded to B.P.Cruz Builders, M.S. Cruz Builders and B-12 Builders had lacked the necessary requirements such as program of work and notary.”
Cried Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting: “What is the point? The point is…I think Mr. Cruz… is the same Bernie Cruz who raised the hand of Councilor Yabut……(the) indication… (the) impression (of this is) malakas si Mr. Cruz dahil sinusoportahan niya ang isa sa ating mga konsehal (he is influential because of his support to one of our colleagues). …(and the) impression is that (he is influential with) the city government that is why (in the) comment of Councilor Sangil halos nakukuha po niya lahat ng mga proyekto po dito (Cruz gets almost all the projects here)…
Cong Ares Yabut publicly endorsed for congressman by contractor Bernie Cruz. Sheer vanity. Abject stupidity. The electorate of the 1st district are thus forewarned.
As a paraphrase of those gigantic tarpaulins of Cong Ares will read: Iba na ang taong handa sa anumang kontrata. Mag-ingat po tayo sa kanya. (It pays for a man to be ready for any contract. Beware of him.)
Cong Ares embodies the promise of youth – the perfect foil to the septuagenarian House sitter, the venerable Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin.
Young he may be, but Cong Ares has the length – forget the depth – of experience in legislation, albeit at the city level, having served three terms as councilor.
And no demeaning “Kuhol” moniker can be appended on Cong Ares, as was so effectively impacted on Mang Tarzan’s rival, and deeply ingrained in the electorate’s mind in the 2007 polls.Cong Ares – if we believe young photo-journalist Jamie Hipolito – is moviestar material in the mold of Bong Revilla.
Indeed, Cong Ares will not a palooka make against Mang Tarzan in the congressional ring.
So sad therefore that the promise of a good fight in May 2010 already ended for Cong Ares long before the official filing of candidacy, right on the day he proclaimed his intention to run against Mang Tarzan. His first hurrah serving his last too, even before going up the ring, so to speak.
The picture of a triumphant Cong Ares, hands raised in endorsement by one contactor Bernie Cruz, with Liga ng mga Barangay president Robin Nepomuceno and Councilor Agapito del Rosario serving as seconds to the fighter, provided the very knock-out punch to the congressional challenger.
Yeah, to what depths of impropriety has Cong Ares descended by having his hand raised by a contractor!
Cong Ares could not get any man of honor and respect to endorse him so he opted for a contractor? Or, Cong Ares so believed in the power of this contractor Bernie Cruz to make him win that he would not have anyone raised his hand but him?
Whichever, the impropriety of it all remains the same.
Pray, tell, what will the electorate make out of a candidate with a contactor for endorser? A partnership, nay, an unholy alliance that reeks of the lard from the congressional pork barrel, euphemized first as the congressional development fund (CDF), and now as the priority development assistance fund (PDAF): The vote to Ares Yabut, the PDAF contracts to Bernie Cruz.
Fears such a scenario fosters in the electorate are not unfounded. As affirmed by our front page story here Thursday: ‘Yabut endorser cornering contracts in Angeles City.’
“(Councilor Jay) Sangil disclosed that B.P. Cruz Builders got the contract for the re-channeling of the portion of the Abacan River. The funds for the project, he added, would come from the calamity fund. The M.S. Cruz, on the other hand, is reportedly Mark Cruz, son of Bernie…
“In the same minutes of the meeting, Sangil and Councilor Willie Rivera alleged that some of the contracts awarded to B.P.Cruz Builders, M.S. Cruz Builders and B-12 Builders had lacked the necessary requirements such as program of work and notary.”
Cried Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting: “What is the point? The point is…I think Mr. Cruz… is the same Bernie Cruz who raised the hand of Councilor Yabut……(the) indication… (the) impression (of this is) malakas si Mr. Cruz dahil sinusoportahan niya ang isa sa ating mga konsehal (he is influential because of his support to one of our colleagues). …(and the) impression is that (he is influential with) the city government that is why (in the) comment of Councilor Sangil halos nakukuha po niya lahat ng mga proyekto po dito (Cruz gets almost all the projects here)…
Cong Ares Yabut publicly endorsed for congressman by contractor Bernie Cruz. Sheer vanity. Abject stupidity. The electorate of the 1st district are thus forewarned.
As a paraphrase of those gigantic tarpaulins of Cong Ares will read: Iba na ang taong handa sa anumang kontrata. Mag-ingat po tayo sa kanya. (It pays for a man to be ready for any contract. Beware of him.)
