It’s all in the family in Caraga this May 10 ~ SURIGAO Today

It’s all in the family in Caraga this May 10

In Caraga region, more than half of the 1,826 candidates in the May 10 elections – from governor to municipal and city councilors – are related to each other either by blood or by affinity or consanguinity.

Most are allies, but there are some who are pitted against each other, like in the case of Claver in Surigao del Norte. In this mineral rich town, the Gokiangkee brothers are competing for the top seat through their respective wife – incumbent Mayor George Gokiangkee through Georgia, and Ricardo Gokiangkee through Rosemarie Mira.

Husband and wife tandems are also not uncommon in the region, like in the case of Santiago town in Agusan del Norte, where Mayor Franklin Lim and his better half, Vice Mayor Zenaida Lim, are both running for re-election.

In some instances, parents seek mayoralty or vice mayoralty positions, while their sons, daughters, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins run running for lower positions.

One of the most prominent political clans in region are the Plazas who, after having served in Butuan and Agusan del Sur, are now extending their political reach to Agusan del Norte where Roscoe Democrito Borja Plaza, son of incumbent Butuan Mayor Democrito Galido Plaza II, is running for mayor of Nasipit town.

Borja’s mother, Leonides Theresa Borja Plaza, is seeking to replace his father as Butuan City mayor.

The Amantes have also been in power for decades in Agusan del Norte. Erlpe John Malbas Amante is running for a third term as governor. His sister, Angelica Malbas Amante, who was governor for three terms before Erlpe John became governor in 2004, is running for second district representative.

An Amante – Ferdinand Magdamo Amante, Jr. – is challenging Leonides Theresa Borja Plaze in the Butuan mayoralty race.

Other political clans in the regions are the he Pimentels, who hold turf in Surigao del Sur; the Barbers, Matugases and Navarros of Surigao del Norte; and the Ecleos of Dinagat islands.

A unique case is two candidates running for governor in Surigao del Sur. Not only do they share the same surname, Lozada, but their nicknames – “Boy" and “Boylo" – are almost similar.

In Surigao del Sur, two Murillos are running for Congress representing the province’s first congressional district: former Tago Mayor Greg Murillo, brother of former Surigao del Sur Governor Primo Murillo, is pitted against a virtually unknown Anecito Murillo.

The Murillos alleged that Anecito Murillo was intentionally pitted against popular Greg Murillo to sow confusion among voters. - Ben Serrano with Carmela Lapeña/KBK, GMANews.TV

10 comments:

Anonymous said...: what happened to the comments I posted earlier.? What is the basis of not accepting my comments. please reply.; March 30, 2010 at 2:43 AM
Anonymous said...: Claver is for Clavernon only . It is unfair for all the people of claver who worked hard for the creation of this town to be ruled by an outsider whose vision and intentions are unclear. So I encourage all the voters of claver to vote for the true sons and daughter of claver and not be blinded by the money that they will recieve from this candidates. Vote using your conscience and heart to elect the right person whose motives are for the better tomorrow of claver, To be a progressive,clean and green town that we all can be proud of. This is coming from a concerned citizen of claver. So God save the town of claver.; March 30, 2010 at 2:05 PM
Anonymous said...: Claver is for Clavernon only . It is unfair for all the people of claver who worked hard for the creation of this town to be ruled by an outsider whose vision and intentions are unclear. So I encourage all the voters of claver to vote for the true sons and daughter of claver and not be blinded by the money that they will recieve from this candidates. Vote using your conscience and heart to elect the right person whose motives are for the better tomorrow of claver, To be a progressive,clean and green town that we all can be proud of. This is coming from a concerned citizen of claver. So God save the town of claver.; March 30, 2010 at 2:07 PM
Hardy said...: Claver is not for Clavernon only. As long as he is qualified by Comelec rules, he is ok. The only thing you look at is, if this outsider can perform his duties as an official of Claver. If this outsider will do a better job than a local, well and good.; April 6, 2010 at 2:12 AM
Anonymous said...: Why will the people of claver vote for somebody who is not a true clavernon? Even if he or she is qualified. It is still an insult for all clavernons to be ruled by somebody who is not born in claver . The forefathers of claver worked hard to create this town , so why should an outsider rule them . There are lots of intelligent people in claver who are most qualified the only problem is money. Whoever wins in this election is because of vote buying means lots of money , then why bother to have an election ? To me that is not democracy that is moneycracy?; April 9, 2010 at 10:08 PM
Anonymous said...: If the person has a primary residence in Claver then he is qualified to be a candidate there.

But if you are concerned that in Claver there is vote-buying please document it. Take a picture of the money and the candidate list and post it here so we can look into it.; April 12, 2010 at 11:42 PM
Anonymous said...: You should be the one to do it. since you are from the media you should keep tab of all this. why ?are you from a different planet that you dont know about it. common "/. wake up. it is not my concern anymore .it is up to the good people of claver to select the right person who will lead them to a better tomorrow of claver , a clean , green and progressive town , to be counted as one of the best town of the entire caraga region.
so whoever you are if you are not from this town leave our town alone and go somewhere else. when claver was a stuggling town there were only few candidates vying for the office. now that claver is rich , money generated from this mining companies . wow 4 cndidates for mayor and 4 for vice mayor, and look at the SB memebers 20 . why ? go figure.
SOME OLD CANDIDATES ARE BACK . YOU WERE GIVEN THE CHANCE , GIVE THIS YOUNG CANDIDATES A CHANCE TO SERVE OUR TOWN MAYBE THEY HAVE A BETTER IDEAS THAN YOU DO. IT DOES NOT TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO FIGURE IT OUT.WHY? JUST HOPE CLAVER ELECTION WILL BE PEACEFUL .; April 15, 2010 at 3:48 AM
Anonymous said...: You two arguing over Claver politics are both out of order. You do not know what you are talking about.

Even if one is not a media person he or she is entitled to protect votes and the sanctity of it Why wait for a media man to do it for you? Suppose no media will arrive and you witness an anomaly at the polling precint, what are you going to do?

As I see it now, it seems we Caraganons are not yet matured politically because we do not knew yet what our responsibilities and duties as voters as well as protector of freedom and democracy. But I can't blamed you people because the gov't through Philippine Information Agency or other gov't information windows or institutions are supposed to inform. educate and support people to be vigilant.

I pray for peaceful elections for Claver.; April 25, 2010 at 8:01 AM
Anonymous said...: GO FOR IT PRAY HARD. WITH ALL THE NEWS GOING AROUND ABOUT PHILIPPINE POLITICS. WE NEED ALL THE PRAYERS WE CAN GET NOT ONLY FOR CLAVER BUT FOR THE ENTIRE PHILIPPINES . SO AMEN TO YOU.; April 26, 2010 at 9:45 PM
Anonymous said...: CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NEWLY ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS OF CLAVER. THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE PREVAILS . THEY ELECTED THE TRUE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF CLAVER, LUMAD CLAVERNON WHO ARE YOUNG ENERGECTIC, KNOWLEDGEABLE AND WELL EDUCTATED CANDIDATES. THE CANDIDATES THAT CAN BRING US TO A BETTER TOMMORROW OF CLAVER, SO ALL OF US CLAVERNON WILL BE PROUD OF. WE NEED CLAVER TO SHINE AGAIN AND BE COUNTED AS ONE OF THE BEST TOWN IN THE ENTIRE CARAGA REGION THRU MODERNIZATION. WE NEED YOU TO WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE YOUR MISSION AND VISION FOR CLAVER. SET ASIDE YOUR DIFFERENCES WORKS TOWARD THE GOOD OF CLAVER NOT FOR YOUR PERSONAL GAIN. BE A PROUD CLAVERNON BY ACCOMPLISHING ALL THAT YOU HAVE PROMISED TO THE PEOPLE OF CLAVER, DELIVER WHAT YOU PROMISED, IF YOU WANT ANOTHER TERM THEN SHOW TO THE PEOPLE OF CLAVER THAT YOU ARE A TRUSTWORTHY, GOD FEARING HONEST AND WITH INTEGRITY OFFICIALS OF OUR TOWN. IF YOU LOVE CLAVER THEN DO IT , THIS WILL BE YOUR LIVING LEGACY THAT YOU CAN GIVE TO ALL CLAVERNONS. ALL THE PEOPLE OF CLAVER SHOULD UNITE TO SUPPORT OUR NEWLY ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS SO THEY CAN ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. I THANK GOD AND OUR PATRON SAINT ST PETER CLAVER FOR GIVING US A PEACEFUL ELECTION AND ELECTING THE BEST CANDIDATES OF OUR TOWN . MABUHAY SI MAYOR NENE MIRA GOKIANGKEE AND HER PARTY. GOD BLESS CLAVER.; May 15, 2010 at 9:10 PM

SURIGAO Today