Nitoy Captures Barbers Stronghold

Now the tables are turned! One of the city’s biggest barangay, Taft and neighboring Arellano district has been conquered. Soft spoken mayoralty candidate Engr. Nitoy Matugas duplicated last Saturday June 13th, the same but more meaningful victory in Brgy. Washington a week earlier of Brgy. Captain Jun Edradan.

Matugas supported candidate for the Surneco Board Mario Gesta literally shut out the Barbers bailiwick in Brgy. Washington winning over Brgy. Capt. Julito Gohil in an election that was the acid test of political powerplay in District II.

Based on official count, Gesta garnered a score of 2,449 votes, while Gohil got only 1,710 of the total votes cast of 4,167 from a registered voter of 8870 in Surneco District II. Observers said Matugas triumph over Barbers in Brgy. Taft, proved beyond doubts the Barbers bailiwick for decades has now fallen into Nitoy’s hands. There were charges of vote buying going as high as P200 per voter but ironically both sides were involved in the so called vote buying.

The victory of Nitoy’s handpick candidates in District I and District II also reflected the well oiled machinery and teamwork of Matugas allies in the field under the baton of strategist Baby Ma. Prior to the election last Saturday, it was learned that the Matugas camp had prepared for their mobility and coordination in the barangays where pumpboats and motorcycles had been placed on ready.

The loss of the Barbers candidate in Barangay Taft dealt a big blow to the reputation of the area as their stronghold.

Henceforth, many predict that the likes of the election in 2010 will tell the same story in the encounter between Matugas and Barbers for City Mayorship. (Agusan-Surigao Enquirer)

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