No permanent allies, rivals in Caloocan politics

In Caloocan City, no line or rule defines politics. Alliances change over time and foes turn into friends faster than a New York minute. Take the 2010 elections — the fiercest of rivals are now sharing the same stage, wooing residents to vote for each other. In 2004, Enrico Echiverri and Edgar Erice both ran for mayor. The other mayoralty candidates then were mayor Macario Asistio Jr. — who was making a political comeback — and Gigi Malonzo, wife of then incumbent mayor Reynaldo Malonzo. Echiverri, a two-termer representative of the first district of Caloocan City, won the race. He was a former ally of Malonzo, having served as the latter’s secretary to the mayor from 1995 to 1998. He was also a councilor (1998-1992) during the time of Asistio. Three years after the elections, Echiverri sought a second term and he was once again up against Boy Asistio, Baby Asistio, Malonzo and Erice. But that’s so three years ago. In Caloocan’s local elections, incumbent mayor Echiverri and Erice are seen dancing onstage to the tune of "Nobody But You", the mayor’s campaign jingle. No animosity Erice said there is no animosity between him and Echiverri despite their past rivalries. “Wala kaming personal animosity. In fact after he won nagpo-protesta yung number 3, number 4, ako number 2 nagconcede, so walang personal, we are both professionals," he told GMANews.TV at the sidelines of their sortie in Barangay 34. Echiverri and Erice, both of the Liberal Party, will be running against the tandem of Baby Asistio, a member of Nationalist People's Coalition, and Malonzo, under his local party Kabaka. Erice is optimistic that their tandem will be victorious in the May 2010, citing internal surveys indicating a two to one win in their favor. He also believed Asistio and Malonzo chose to be partners “kasi nadominate ni mayor recom yung politics siguro naisip nila na kung hindi sila mag-uunite, wala silang chance." (Asistio and Malonzo chose to be partners because Mayor Echiverri was able to dominate politics. Which is why they probably thought that if they didn’t join forces, they wouldn’t stand any chance.) Even if the two joined forces, they would still have no chance against the Echiverri-Erice tandem, he said. “Hindi makita yung prinsipyo nung pagsasama nila, parang convenience lang, marriage of convenience," he added. (The principle behind their alliance can’t be seen. It seems as if it’s a marriage of convenience.) Caloocan residents are looking for leaders who would bring progress to Caloocan, Erice said. “The Asistios ruled Caloocan for decades, siguro gusto nila (residents) umangat kasi mahirap talaga (ang buhay) e. Mahirap talaga imanage yung Caloocan with the surge in the population, sumobra sa dapat naging tambakan ito e, resettlement area," he said. (The residents probably sought to improve their lots in life. Caloocan is difficult to manage, especially with the surge in population because it became a resettlement area.) The alternative? Baby Asistio disagreed with his rival’s sentiments. He believed he is the alternative the people are looking for. “Masyadong kawawa na ang mga taga-Caloocan, I will be their alternative," the former Caloocan representative told GMANews.TV over the phone. (Caloocan residents have suffered long enough.) The Asistios’ rule on Caloocan started in 1952 when their patriarch, Macario Sr., was elected as municipal mayor. He was reelected when Caloocan was declared a city in 1962 and served until 1971. Baby served as representative of the city’s 2nd district from 1992 to 2001 and 2004 to 2007 while his brother Boy Asistio was elected city’s mayor from 1980 to 1986 and again from 1988 to 1995. Baby said Caloocan has the highest tax rate among cities in Metro Manila. He even accused Echiverri of purchasing P40 million worth tarpaulins for his information propaganda. “Hirap na hirap na ang tao, ang pera naman hindi nakikita. P40 million for tarpaulins? That’s useless spending, puro pagmumukha niya lang ang nakikita," Asistio said. (Residents have continuously experienced difficulties without seeing where their money was spent on. P40 million for tarps? That’s useless spending because what residents are seeing is just his face on a tarp.) He said this is the reason he decided to form a coalition with former rivals Malonzo, incumbent Caloocan Rep. Mitch Cajayon of Lakas-CMD and ally Oscar Malapitan of Nacionalista Party. He also denied that theirs is a marriage of convenience. “Sa pulitika, kung ano ang tingin mo na makakatulong sa tao, dun ka," he said. (In politics, you take the side of whatever you think will help people.) His tandem with Malonzo is the best for the Caloocan residents, Asistio said, citing their experience in local governance. “Siyam na taong mayor si Malonzo, ako naman matagal na ring congressman. Pagsasamahin namin yung aming galing," he said, adding both agreed to refuse to talk about their past clashes when they formed their coalition. (Malonzo previously served as mayor for nine years while I’ve served as a congressman for a long time. We will combine all our skills.) “We should start on the right foot para maganda ang takbo, we are united," he said. Asistio finds the residents’ reception to their coalition ‘very encouraging’. “Galit ang mga tao kay Echiverri. Malakas ako sa Caloocan dahil basta kaya ko, tinutulungan ko ang mga tao," he said. (Residents are angry at Echiverri. I’m on the good side of Caloocan because I help people out as long as I can do it.) He said the adage ‘blood is thicker than water’ does not apply to politics when asked why he did not choose his brother, former Caloocan City mayor Macario ‘Boy’ Asistio Jr., who is running as an independent vice mayoralty candidate, as his running mate. “Hindi pwede yung blood is thicker than water sa pulitika, dapat dun ka sa makakatulong sa tao," he said. (The principle of blood being thicker than water can’t work in politics. You should favor an arrangement that will help people.) Boy Asistio carries no candidates for mayor or councilor. Merry mix-up If Asistio chose to team-up with his former rivals, Echiverri, for his part, entered into a coalition with Mariano ‘Nani’ Almeda, a former chief of staff of presidential son Rep. Juan Miguel ‘Mikey’ Arroyo and a member of Nacionalista Party whose standard bearer is Senator Manuel Villar Jr. Echiverri is supporting the candidacy of Senator Benigno Simeon Aquino III in the presidential race. Almeda said his coalition with Echiverri is purely on local politics and “doesn’t have to do with our national candidates." He is confident that he has more than majority of the leaders claiming the support of 90 percent of the 118 barangay chairmen in the city. “It is up to you guys how you would convert that into votes but as far as I am concerned I’m confident and I can help President Villar, of course my supporters will always support President Villar," Almeda said. Echiverri, in a separate interview with GMANews.TV, agreed that their coalition is confined at the local level. “Ang tauhan niya, tauhan ko will vote for him sa congressman pero sa national kanya kanya na kami," said the incumbent mayor who is now seeking his third term under the banner of Liberal Party. (His followers and my followers will vote for him as congressman but at the national level, we’ll be left with our own choices.) Not an order from the Palace Almeda was quick to clarify that his decision to join NP October last year and support the candidacy of Villar was not an ‘order’ from the Malacanang. “Cong. Arroyo has nothing to do with my joining the Nacionalista. My services for Cong. Arroyo was purely professional," he said, Almeda served as the younger Arroyo’s chief staff from 2004 to 2007 and was appointed deputy executive director of the Joint Congressional Power Commission when Mikey became the chairman of the House energy committee. His departure from the presidential son’s camp does not mean that he already severed ties with his former principal. Almeda said Arroyo respects his decision. Mikey was a godfather of Almeda’s son. “We started out as friends and we remain as friends. Me and Cong Mikey have no personal differences whatsoever as I have said me being his chief of staff our relationship is purely professional and it will go beyond politics," he said. Whether these alliances will survive even after the May 10 elections, only the politicians can tell. And whether these political arrangements will bring them victory, only the voters can tell. - KBK, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV