TIMELINE: May 10, 2010 (Monday, first automated elections in the Philippines) – Mayor Ed Pamintuan won the mayoralty race in Angeles City against incumbent mayor Francis “Blueboy” Nepomuceno by more than 26,000 votes.
Nepomuceno congratulated Pamintuan in a text message saying: “Pare, congratulations you won. Don’t worry, emuku maging prublema.”
May 24, 2010 (Monday) – Nepomuceno files recount petition before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
May 2, 2011 (Monday) – Nepomuceno receives copy of Comelec’s order of manual recount.
May 16, 2011 (Monday) – Recount starts.
May 17, 2011 (Tuesday) – In an interview with RW95.1, Nepomuceno admitted that he congratulated Pamintuan right after the elections. He said: “When I lost in May, I conceded to Mayor Ed. Now that I won, he must accept it.”
May 19, 2011 (Thursday) – Nepomuceno withdrew his election protest after the Comelec Second Division asserted its policy to rely on “ballot images” contained in Compact Flash Cards (CFC’s) in cases of manifest tampering of original ballots. “It is time for me to go,” Nepomuceno said in his statement.
May 20, 2011 (Friday) – In a press conference, Pamintuan announced that his camp will file electoral fraud against Nepomuceno for allegedly tampering the ballots during the May, 2010 elections. Same date, Some Angeleños quipped: “Ay, gewa da ita? Eda wari balung high tech na ngeni? Old school lapa?”
ALIBI. Nepomuceno issued a five-page statement entitled: “Honorable Withdrawal of the Electoral Protest; A Moral Victory”.
Part of it says: “With the extreme financial requirements need to be spent to pursue the instant case not to mention those already spent; the lifespan of the case the finality of which may reached its conclusion at the time the term of office in dispute may have expired and most importantly for the greater good of political stability in the city of Angeles, ones quest must take precedence over the greater good of our constituents. I, upon serious circumspection and advice from my family and friends have decided to withdraw the pending protest.”
Weh? Di nga?
In sports, we simply call that an alibi. It is an excuse that does not merit any sympathy. In chess, we call that a checkmate; in boxing, a knockout. So in short, mengapaksi o melampasu ya. Still, you lose.
LESSONS. Truth always prevails.
Though hounded by alleged graft and corruption, garbage problem, questionable dealings, untimely and unnecessary loans, having hundreds of ghost employees (as job orders or JOs) during his term, Nepomuceno has yet to accept his defeat.
How he lost? First, he became unpopular after ignoring the call for the ouster of then sports head Paul Puri who admitted having three out of the nine ghost employees under his payroll. Since then, most of the program heads allegedly began to make money out of JOs.
Second, Nepomuceno relied so much with his aide and faithful servant Mark who “kept” him inside the four corners of the mayor’s office, shunning ordinary folk who needed help. Most legitimate media practitioners were even barred from interviewing the mayor.
City Information Officer Archie Reyes says it well on Facebook: “The person who hates you most will definitely lead you to perdition. Behind the blue man’s fall is a marked man.”