Panalo si Kristine Balmes; Mariño is Batangas City’s biggest heist, Part 3

Note: A heist is a robbery from an institution such as a bank or a museum, or any robbery in which there is a large haul of loot. But for purposes of this discussion, heist also means the biggest robbery of power (an inside job in the Dimacuha household).

Saan man magpunta, maraming tao ang dumadalo upang marinig nila ang tinig ng bagong Mayora ng Batangas City

 Sa naunang bahagi, inihayag ko na sinasamantala at ginagamit ni Marvey Mariño ang political stock ni EBD, at ngayon ay tila solong nagdidikta sa pamilyang kanyang sinampidan. Ideya nya ang pagpapatakbo sa asawang si Beverly Abaya Dimacuha- Mariño (BADM) kasabay ng pagtakbo nya bilang kongresista ng Lungsod ng Batangas. Maliwanag na hindi lamang karaniwang political dynasty ang hangad nya kungdi ganap na pagkontrol sa Lungsod. Sinusubukang isuot ni Mariño ang sombrero ng may sakit na biyenan at higitan pa ito, kaya hindi malayo ang pangamba ng marami, nagbabalak maghari ang sampid!

Subalit malaking kabiguan ang kanyang kinakaharap. Bukod sa malayo na ang agwat ni Kristine Balmes sa kanyang katunggaling si BADM, hindi rin sigurado si Mariño na mananalo sya. Ito ang dahilan ng kanyang mga desperadong pagkilos nitong mga nakaraang araw.

Solo nyang pinapalakad ang kampanya, kasabay ng pagdidikta sa pamamahala sa Lungsod, sa pamamagitan ng stooge na bayaw nyang si Reginald Dimacuha. Sa loob din ng linggong ito, napag-alaman natin na isa na namang palpak na dokumento ang pinapirmahan nila sa imbalidong mayor – ang pagsasampa ng reklamo sa Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) laban kay City Treasurer Marites Geron. Maaaring di sinadya o sinadya dahil may mensaheng nakatago sa reklamo, hiniling ni EBD sa BLGF ba “alisin” si Mrs. Geron sa Batangas City dahil sa tahasang pagtanggi na mag-isyu ng sertipikasyon na nagsasabing ang uutanging P 1 Bilyon (akda rin ni Mariño) ay gagamitin para sa pagpapatayo ng 3^rd Bridge sa Calumpang (na bubura sa may 30 kabahayan sa Ferry).

Ang pagtanggi ni Mrs. Geron ay bunsod ng katotohanang may isinampang kaso sina incoming Congressman Lito Bisa at G. Jacob Alforque laban kay EBD at iba pang kasabwat sa maling proseso ng pag-aaply ng utang sa Land Bank, at ang naunang pagpapa-bid sa proyektong saklaw dapat ng uutangin, maski labag sa batas dahil wala pang pondo. Mariño’s heist of robbing people of their ability to rationalize and exercise their legal duties.

Sino ba si Marites Geron? Sya ay maybahay ni Immigration Commissioner Ronaldo “Ronnie” Geron. Taal na taga-Lungsod ng Batangas si Marites (taga Pallocan ang ina, at sa Calicanto ang ama), at ninong nila si EBD sa kasal noong 1992.

Bukod sa naging dating Bokal (1995-1998) at Provincial Administrator (2004-2007) ng Batangas si Ronnie Geron, kasama na nya si EBD noon pang 1988 sa unang pagkakataong naupo si EBD bilang Mayor. Si Ronnie rin ang campaign manager ni EBD noong 1992.

Si Marites ay appointee ng Secretary of Finance. Nag-umpisang OIC Treasurer noong 2005, and permanently appointed in 2006.  Nasa City Treasurer's Office na sya noon pang 1985 o naglingkod sa syudad ng may 30 taon. Pero gustong palayasin?

Ano ang tinutumbok ko? Na ang sampid na si Mariño ay mistulang anay sa pamilya Dimacuha. Malinaw na wala sa wisyo ang alkalde at hindi nya nalalaman na kasama na sa tinatalo ngayon ng manugang ang maybahay ng kanyang paboritong inaanak. Sabagay, makakatagpo sya ng katapat kay Comm. Geron! Another case of heist of goodwill and familial affection.

Pero dahil isang sundalo si Mariño, mahusay sya sa psywar. Alam nya ang tagumpay ng biyenan na gawing mamalimos o mendicants ang mahihirap na Batangueño. Kaya ang ipinamimigay nya ngayon ay Privilege Cards na mukhang credit card kung saan nakatatak ang mukha at pangalan nya, at pinapaniwala ang mga mangmang na tumatanggap na ito ay magbibigay sa kanila ng benepisyo sa kalusugan, scholarship at iba pang ayuda. Ginamit ni Mariño ang makabagong teknolohiya sa plastic card with magnetic strip, may dinagdag pang “serial numbers” na kung hindi raw sya ang iboboto ay mababasa ito ng card at mababalewala ito. Anak ng…! Ngayon lang ako nakakita ng ganitong lantarang panloloko. Another heist, a robbery of people’s intelligence.

Sa kabila nito, patuloy rin ang propaganda machine para ipagdiinang maski imbalido na ay may mga proyekto pa rin si EBD. Bukas, ilulunsad ang proyektong patitulo sa lupa ng Land Registration Authority (LRA) at pa-epal dito sina Beverly at Marvey. Pinalalabas na programa ito ng Lungsod. At dahil sa Hotel Pontefino ito gagawin bukas, Abril 22, gagastos ang city hall, samantalang atrasado ang sweldo ng mga empleyado para sa Abril 15.  Another heist, sobrang epal at sinungaling para nakawan tayo ng katotohanan!

ANO BANG NAGAWA NI KRISTINE BALMES?

Ang ipinagsasabi ng mga pabor sa pagpapatuloy ng Dinastiyang Dimacuha  ay hindi pa karapat-dapat maging Mayor si Kristine Balmes dahil wala raw itong nagawa. WALA NGA BA? Pwede po ninyong i-click upang palakihin ang mga larawan ng pagkukumpara sa ibaba. Ang nakapulang letra, ibig sabihin, dagdag pahirap - bayarin man o taripa, o pagrerepaso ng mga pahirap na ordinansa at resolusyon lalo na ang sa pagpasok sa mga kontrata at pangungutang ng pamahalaang lokal kung saan dehado ang mamamayan.

Marami pa akong ganito na mula pa taong 2011 hanggang ngayon, kung hindi pa rin kumbinsido ang mga tuta ng dinastiya at YES KONSEHALES. Sa susunod, malamang isa-isahin ko ang "performance of greed" ng mga ONSEHAL na ito.

KAYA SA DARATING NA HALALAN 2016, KAILANGAN NG MATALINONG PAGPILI. 

Yes to Progress Facebook Page - Isang Panloloko

BABALA PO SA ATING MGA KASAMA:

Mikoy Abaya FB post

Ang YES TO PROGRESS facebook page ay isang internet scam o cheat - layuning iligaw at guluhin ang mamamayan upang paboran ang dinastiyang Dimacuha at ipagtanggol ang mga YES KONSEHALES.

Ang admin nito na nagtatago sa pangalang Jose Enrique ay walang iba kung hindi si RD (Reginald  Dimacuha), dati nang nagtago sa pangalang Pete  Alonzo.

Paano nila kayo  nai-add? Simple lang -  kung may kaibigan kayo na kaibigan din nila, dahil sa paid hacker nila na si Tessy Maria o Maria Tess Colly (tessypatrick24@hotmail.com), awtomatiko kayong idadagdag sa page nila.

Kasama ni RD sa scam na ito ang isang Administrative Officer sa City hall na nagtatago sa pangalang Boogie Chacha, kasabwat ang may-akda ng Palakat Batangas.

Hinahamon ko kayo na pabulaanan  ito, at maglabas ng katibayan  na hindi ito totoo. Magkamali kayo - marami pa akong ilalabas na katarantaduhan ninyo!

NILOLOKO NINYO ANG BAYAN - Bakit hindi ang pagsagot sa mga isyu  ang gawin ninyo at hindi ang panlilinlang  sa mga tao?

Millennials: what future awaits you under the Dimacuha political dynasty?

This post is dedicated to the millennial voters of Batangas City and other places in similar situation.

For 28 years, the Dimacuhas of Batangas City, headed by patriarch Eduardo, have been in power since 1988. After his first 3 terms as mayor (1988-1998) he was succeeded by son, Angelito "Dondon" Dimacuha (1998–2001), then again Eduardo B. Dimacuha, made a comeback in 2001–2010/ Then wife, Vilma A. Dimacuha succeeded him from 2010-2013, and again Eduardo B. Dimacuha came back since 2013, and now running again for 2016 elections.

Obviously, the Dimacuhas have felt a sense of over confidence and self-entitlement to rule the city, having won all elections since 1988. Emboldened by their staying power, the family has treated the affairs of the City Government as their own, similar to a family business. With the cooperation and conspiracy of the YES KONSEHALES (so-called because they will say yes to anything Dimacuha asks), the tyranny of the majority has ruled the Sangguniang Panlungsod. Treating Batangas City as a family corporation resulted to complacence and even disregard to people’s sensibilities. Impunity reigns where utter disregard to decency, legality and even respect for human rights and life were set aside, albeit systematically.

Dimacuha is very skillful at using his not so secret weapon – the tyranny of the majority (and he is the majority stockholder so to speak). With his YES Konsehales, he has had always his way of getting resolutions and ordinances favorable to him, including unbridled spending and borrowing, making Batangas City as a potentially bankrupt local government in 5 years.

He seems unstoppable - at taking advantage of his position of power and influence. But nature has her way of slowing down the ageing Dimacuha. Nahimatay na nga sa isang flag ceremony, bukod sa halatang halata na ang panghihina ng katawan kaya bihira nang humarap sa tao.

So shameless that even his son-in-law, Marvey Marino, is running for the lone congressional seat!

So the rage of the people starts to manifest in 2013, with the modern technology used as the jumping board, because it is safer for the opposition to be incognito in the face of a fierce dictator. Readers began to search for the truth, shared information using pseudonym and aliases, while the others who get the information pass the stories through whispers and sarcastic jokes.

In 2013, despite running under the opposition and thought to be shooting for the star with uncertainty, the former wife of Dondon Dimacuha, Kristine Balmes ran, and along with another opposition member, won by the hairline. The election results was marred by deception, cheating, manipulation and vote buying. But Dimacuha did not expect his former daughter-in-law to win.

It proved to be the turning point for the opposition,  when about two years ago, a new group formed a page in facebook, called Reject RPT 20 Movement was formed and slowly gathered steam where Kristine Balmes slowly became the rallying point. It was initially composed of ragtag opposition politicians and disillusioned businessmen and laymen.

Issues expanded from the original outcry against the imposition of unreasonable real property taxes, to environmental issues, and developing the informal group as a watchdog of the governance of the city. Members grew dramatically, as the Church has become involved in the issues the group espoused.

Realizing it was not enough to criticize or make public discourse over pressing issues, the group decided to turn itself into a loose and informal political group and launched the candidacy of Kristine Balmes for Mayor, Carlito Bisa for congressman, and others. Matter of fact, it has a complete slate of candidates for Councilors.

People looked at 2013 elections as the best way to repudiate the Dimacuhas. Unfortunately, he managed to buy most voters and manipulate even the results. Joe Tolentino had no money to contest the manipulations. And so the unfortunate extension of the dynasty until now.

This 2016, all the odds are against the visibly ailing Dimacuha who can no longer afford to bear the rigors of the campaign. Second, while he has the largess of a campaign kitty and an arsenal to mobilize a private army, they may not be enough to match the discontent, hate and contempt of the people of Batangas City. Neither his traditional parochial distribution of money and goods, charged to the city fund, can placate the anger of so many Batanguenos he has skillfully  manipulated all these years.

65% of voters are young people, aged 18-34. Majority of them are the so-called millennials or born between the years 1980 - 2000. These are the young ones who have access to the information age, and while seemingly carefree, they know what is going on. These are the same generation who will look forward and ask themselves WHAT WILL BE THEIR FUTURE IF OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE ONLY IN THE HANDS OF THE FEW?

Age copes up with two Batangas dynasties: WINDS OF CHANGE BLOWING

Batangas City's Eduardo Dimacuha or EBD is the most pitiful political dynast today

Seriously sick, physically and mentally frail, he had no choice but to keep holding on to power for his own and his family's sake he may leave behind anytime. My friend told me "kailangan nya protektahan ang mga maiiwan nya - sa daming kalokohang ginawa sigurado kaliwa't kanang kaso ang aabutin."

Same thing with the ageing Hermie Dolor of Bauan. His "manufactured politician" son proved to be a disaster as Mayor. With practically NO ACCOMPLISHMENT to show, but more of highly questionable contracts that have caused the people a lot of difficulties, including paying high costs of electricity and water

DUSA NG TAGA BAUAN (credits to photo owner)

bills. And the legal complexities seem to have been "cured" with the collaboration of nephew-in-law Rep. Raneo Abu by filing bills in Congress that will protect and empower the dynasty. Even more appalling, Bauan has had no municipal building for 5 years because the mayor had the old one demolished, defaced the plaza, and plans to sell the historical Bauan Central School. 

And unless the case of the dastardly assassination of journalist Mei Magsino is resolved before May 2016 elections, it will haunt these dynasties because they were thought to be her worst enemies.

WHO CAN FORGET WHAT THEY DID TO HER
ON APRIL 13, 2015 IN BROAD DAYLIGHT?

And the writings on the wall are - these dynasties are doomed. Nalalapit na ang katapusan ng paghahari nila.
But I don't want EBD to die just yet. That will upgrade his nephew, Vice Mayor Doc Jun Berberabe. And becoming a sudden Mayor will make it difficult for Kristine Balmes to defeat him. Unlike her erstwhile in-laws which will remake Kristine a giant slayer like David. Because the general sentiment now is ANYBODY BUT DIMACUHA.

Kristine CAN BE Batangas City's New Hope - she will hopefully represent what many of us have been craving for - CHANGE because the past 28 years is just horrible. We need a breath of fresh air, someone who has shown the world that she can stand on her own - even standing against her former in-laws and his family, including resisting the maneuverings of the Berberabes.

Exciting days ahead indeed, but at a bloody cost.

TAYO GUMAGAWA NG BUHAY AT KINABUKASAN NATIN SA BANSANG ITO - repost from May 13, 2013

REPOST: Eddie Dimacuha and his City of Batangas

first posted on April 26, 2013...

For 25 years, the Dimacuhas of Batangas City, headed by patriarch Eduardo, have been in power since 1988. After his first 3 terms as mayor, Eduardo was replaced by son, Dondon. Then he made a comeback and was Mayor again for 9 years. In 2010, after completing yet another 9-years or 3-terms, he was replaced by wife, Vilma, the incumbent. This elections year 2013, he is running again to reclaim his old post as mayor.

I came to Batangas City in 1986, as a first year college student in Lyceum , and have since witnessed the transformation of Batangas City. But this transformation is not necessarily attributable to strongman Eduardo Dimacuha, because luck was on his side. Under President Cory Aquino, local governments were strengthened and given more autonomy, especially in raising and managing their own revenues, plus the fact that cities such as Batangas City enjoys a sizeable share in the national government’s Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA). And Batangas is so blessed to have so many big business locators that the city’s income from real property and local business taxes alone are more than enough to propel the city to greater heights, probably ten-fold that what it has achieved under the Dimacuhas if fiscal and development management were done correctly, instead of fattening one’s own business interests.

Eduardo or Eddie Dimacuha is a very charismatic leader, and if you are in good graces with him, you will not find difficulty seeking practically any help from him. He is easy to talk with, and hardly says no or deny anyone a favor or two.

But while he shows off a very amiable personality, a lot of people are also aware of his hideous reputation – a large clan from both sides of the Berberabe and Dimacuha families who are reputed to have the capability to exact revenge by all means; a huge business network in port, hauling, gas dealership, real property and other businesses; and alleged arsenal of firepower that include both able men and arms. And he has vast network in the police, military and even port authorities.

The first political challenge to Dimacuha happened in 1997, after his mandatory third term. His son, Angelito or Dondon, was first councilor, and he wanted to make sure the latter would succeed him so a comeback would be easier. The elder Dimacuha enlisted the support of practically all the viable influential families in the city, and gave some of them a place in his slate. To his surprise, a relatively unknown young lady candidate from the Gonda-Balmes clan, Kristine Balmes, emerged as top councilor. Of course, that can pose a threat to his comeback. But the young Balmes was soon swooned to her feet and fell in love with Dondon. They later married, bore a daughter, and eventually separated. She is now running under Liberal Party, an opposition to Dimacuha, to reclaim her council seat. (More of this later).

So for the past 20 years, Dimacuha looked like invincible, and no one dared to challenge him, until his former Vice Mayor Florencio de Loyola, with the support of another formidable family, the Chavezes, made an attempt in 2007 to unseat him. But not only luck was on Dimacuha’s side; so were the people wary of a weak successor in de Loyola, whom they fear could be manipulated by his running mate, Councilor Wawing Chavez. Besides, Dimacuha has made sure he had practically 95% of the kapitans on his side, and elections then could be easily manipulated, either by controlling the barangay leaders and teachers managing the elections, or switching the ballots. Without the support of barangay leaders, plus the physical terrain and distance of many barangays from the urban center, who could have dared to spill the beans of cheating and electoral fraud during those times?

So the comeback for the elder Dimacuha in 2000 was a walk in the park, so to speak. And many thought that since Dondon has since lived in oblivion abroad, Dimacuha would retire at the end of his term. But that is not in the plan, so he made his wife Vilma to run as barangay captain and handily defeated a performing kapitana whos roots are from Romblon. Then Vilma became the kapitana of all kapitans or President of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) making her a member of the City Council, giving her a lot of leeway to be involved in city affairs other than being first lady. So she became mayor herself in 2010 replacing the husband who just finished his second third term in office.

Now visibly old and ailing, Dimacuha is making yet another comeback. His former ally, although he had won many times as an independent candidate, Jose or Joe Tolentino, the incumbent vice mayor is challenging Dimacuha for mayorship.

                                           Eduardo and Vilma Dimacuha at the Comelec, 2013

Will he win again or will there be a dramatic leadership change in Batangas City? That will be my next topic. 
-to be continued -