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SSS
promise peace in prov'l board
The
Santiago-Sanchez-Sarmiento political alliance
last week vowed to have a Sangguniang
Panlalawigan that will not be wracked by
infighting and abject servility to a political
patron.
In
a forum organized by the Catanduanes College
Supreme Student Council last Thursday, Atty.
Joseph A. Santiago, Gov. Hector S. Sanchez and
1998 gubernatorial candidate Cesar V. Sarmiento
also laid out their plans for the province
should they be elected as congressman, governor
and vice governor, respectively, in the
forthcoming May 14 elections.
Atty.
Santiago pledged that he would never influence
the vice governor as presiding officer of the
provincial board. "I will not try to
intervene to promote myself at the provincial
level," he stressed.
The
former NTC commissioner also said their
partnership stands for "Sinserong Serbisyo
Saindo," adding that he is running for
Congress as a true native of the island, unlike
others who came to Catanduanes for business and
for profit. "I'm one of you and I believe I
can represent you much better than the
others," the young lawyer said.
Bemoaning
the political infighting that marked the last
half of Vice Gov. Alfred M. Aquino and company
at the SP, Sarmiento said that the provincial
board owes their seats to the people, not to a
single politician. "For the interest of the
people, I will never go wrong," he said,
"This will be my guide as a public
servant."
He
also revealed that Rep. Leandro B. Verceles, Jr.
repeatedly called him up until last week to ask
Sarmiento to be his candidate for Congress He
said he told the solon he cannot go against the
Alcantara family's decision to join Gov.
Sanchez. "Our family will be destroyed if I
join Verceles," he added.
The
former Customs official said that it took him a
long time to decide because he carefully weighed
the options before coming to a decision that he
cannot seek the highest position in Catanduanes,
adding that he can serve the province in any
position.
Recalling
the election protest he filed with the
Commission on Elections during his 1998 run for
governor, he said the protest did not change the
results although the COMELEC's decision has been
preempted by the 2001 polls. He said the rumor
that he has sold out to Sanchez is untrue, as he
cannot stomach feeding his family with money
coming from selling his dignity and principle.
"I
have to respect the decision of the people in
electing Sanchez as governor,"
Sarmiento emphasized. "I find
leadership and sincerity in Sanchez, whose help
for the province comes his own pocket.
On
the other hand, Gov. Sanchez described the
three-cornered alliance as a "Dream
Team" that would give the leadership that
the province needs to achieve progress.
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