After ‘word war’, PCL rivals reconcile
PHILIPPINE Councilors’ League-Laoag City-Ilocos Norte chapter presidential rivals Laoag Councilors Vicentito M. Lazo and Donald Nicolas buried bitterness brought about by the PCL election as they reconciled with each other after both delivered privilege speeches during last week’s regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod. During the run-up to the PCL elections, both presidential contended swapped accusations of vote-buying, with Lazo saying Nicolas was offering money to councilors for their support, which Nicolas countered by divulging that he was offered money to withdraw his candidacy. Lazo won the presidential face-off during the PCL elections held August 2 at the Provincial Capitol. In his privilege speech, Lazo said the PCL election became highly politicized after some big politicians gave their support to both presidential candidates—Ilocos Norte Governor Michael M. Keon for Lazo and Laoag City Mayor Michael V. Fariñas for Nicolas. In stating such, Lazo admitted that his PCL candidacy was backstopped by Keon. Lazo also clarified that allegation made by Nicolas that his camp attempted to buy him off in exchange for the withdrawal of his candidacy saying all these were just jokes traded by his law office partner Atty. Lowell Romero and Nicolas’ law office partner Atty. Richard Tumaneng. He added that these text messages have been preserved. “That is why I go on record because there was never an attempt to buy out my opponent. Why should I buy him out? He was a sure loser from the very start,” Lazo stressed. Lazo then extended his hand of reconciliation to Nicolas as he also hoped that other PCL rivals like Councilors Constante F. Dancel Jr. and Francis Dacuycuy, who fought it out for the PCL treasurer post would also reconcile. Lazo also apologized for whatever wrong he may have done both in deeds and in words as he hoped that they would all work together for the betterment of the PCL provincial federation. Immediately reacting to this, Nicolas also took the rostrum to deliver his own privilege speech where he quickly stressed that text messages exchanged by Tumaneng and Romero were not jokes as he disclosed that Romero even called up Tumaneng. He further explained that Romero also called him up personally to set an appointment in Pagudpud where they would further talk and close the deal with regards to the P100,000 offer to him to withdraw his PCL candidacy. “I can look straight into the eye of his partner [Romero] if and when we will meet because I can stand by this statement,” Nicolas said. He also clarified that he had already accepted his electoral defeat and that he was only replying to accusations and to question the two set of roll calls conducted during the PCL election at the Capitol. “But after the election, more than 50 councilors from the different municipalities of Ilocos Norte called my cell phone and told me what happened upstairs. That was the very reason why the result was turned 360 degrees and they asked apologies from me and saying ‘we were very sorry why we changed our minds because of the pressures,’” Nicolas revealed. He also took the opportunity to once again debunk allegations that he was buying votes for P3,000 each and he admitted that although he was supported by Fariñas, it only went as far as giving moral support as he stressed that he was not given even a single centavo by the mayor. In closing, Nicolas accepted the reconciliation offered by Lazo saying he has never considered his law school teacher as an enemy but he said he respects him and he considers those accusations and statements against him as a teacher’s advise. After Nicolas’ privilege speech, the two PCL rivals shook hands. Dominic B. dela Cruz
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