By Bohol Standard
Four barangay captains allied with Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim appear to be rearing for a “do-or-die†fight to clinch the seat of the city’s Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) presidency.
The ABC (Liga ng Barangay) elections on Tuesday will pit barangay captains, all allied with the camp of Mayor Lim. The pick will be between re-electionist ABC president and Taloto barangay captain Faro Cabalit, two other possible contenders – Poblacion-1 barangay captain Arlene Karaan and Manga barangay captain Leda Saco and a strong “dark horse†bet Mansasa barangay captain Manolo “Taran†Blanco.
The Lim administration captured overwhelming majority during the last barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, as 13 bets for barangay captains won out of the city’s 15 barangays.
Only barangay captains Fredison Ingles (Dampas) and Sergio Bangalao (Cabawan) are not identified with the mayor’s camp.
Cabalit, who is on his second consecutive term as ABC president, is being challenged by the three Lim allies; Karaan, Saco and Blanco.
Reports gathered from city hall sources revealed it is likely that either Karaan will be fielded with the full support of Saco, or the other way around.
Having served as one of the mayor’s closest aides at city hall during the past six years, Karaan purportedly has the secret backing of the mayor and will be fully supported by some reelected barangay captains who disagree with the way Cabalit has led the ABC in the past years.
However, sources clarified that the city mayor will not be taking any risks which the opposition could exploit the developing faction as the elected ABC president also earns a seat at the Sangguniang Panlungsod, as ex-officio member.
Barangay captains belonging to the administration declined to comment about the matter even as Cabalit already expressed that he wishes to hold on to the ABC presidency for the next three years.
But the incumbent ABC president expressed qualms over the possibility that he will be facing a tough opponent in Tuesday’s election.
But Blanco, who have been in talks with fellow barangay leaders had chosen to play his card “closed†while reportedly declaring he has no interest to vie for the seat.
The squabble between Cabalit, Karaan and Saco, if all will bid for the ABC seat, will reportedly force Blanco and could presumably win for him the seat.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular No. 2010-129 which was released last week sets the date and guidelines for the holding of ABC elections at the municipal and component city levels on December 7.
Winners of the municipal and city-level elections will then elect the league's president at the provincial or metropolitan level on December 17.
The election for president and other officers of the ABC regional and national chapter will be on January 13 and 14, respectively.
Federated presidents of the ABC and SK will sit as ex-officio members of the legislative bodies of the municipalities, cities and provinces where they are elected.
The Board of Election Supervisors would be composed of the DILG provincial director, or the DILG officer in a city or municipality, as the case may be, and representatives of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and a local people's or non-government organization.
The Board of Election Supervisors is tasked to resolve any controversy that might arise during the elections at their respective levels.
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