Desperate straits

“The continuation of political intercourse with a mixture of other means.”

As much to war as to election campaigns is Carl von Clausewitz’s classic definition in his Vom Kriege.

In the scheme of things current in the third district of Pampanga, the “other means” I readily recognized being impacted upon re-electionist Congressman Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales.

Where my hometown of Sto. Tomas left off – ceasing its age old tradition of blasting the effigy of Judas on Easter Sunday, the City of San Fernando picked up – not one but several effigies of Judas strewn all about the city, practically at the onset and for the duration of the Holy Week and after.

Where our bearded Judas wore fire engine red, the city’s wore green and sported the face of Cong Dong, photoshopped with tongue hanging out of his mouth, his neck bound by thick ropes, his body scrawled with “Taksil kay GMA”, his left hand holding the iconic moneybag – the supot ni Hudas.

Whoever put up those Judases did not have to explode them as we did in Sto. Tomas, if only to blast Cong Dong. And they got away with it. Or so they could have thought.

GMA loyalists were behind this. Someone from Heroes Hall said, with neither prodding nor proof.

Did I just say “no proof”? So what’s that taksil tag in the effigy? That clearly shows the motive for striking back at Cong Dong – his supposed betrayal of Pampanga’s beloved Gloria.  

Yeah, and it’s public knowledge that Mikey would not stray in the same room with Cong Dong and that GMA’s bosom friends from Lubao have not only aligned themselves with his rival, City of San Fernando Mayor Oscar S. Rodriguez, but engaged their well-oiled political machinery to shame Cong Dong at the polls.

It’s the same hand that sent those five M-16 bullets to the congressman’s security aide. Someone in the police said.

If anything, the Judas effigies validated the veracity of the threat coming with those bullets, the cop added, requesting for anonymity as he was not authorized to speak on the matter.       

Oca is desperate. Someone in yellow and green who looks back at the call of “Toy” countered.

So what made comebacking Cong Oca desperate?

The latest survey showing Cong Dong a runaway winner in all four towns and one city in the third district with 64 percent of the vote to Oca’s 30 percent.

Most insulting to Oca here is his losing in his hometown of Sta. Ana – getting only 29 percent to Dong’s 67 percent, and in the City of San Fernando – 51 percent going to Cong Dong and 41 percent for Oca.

The San Fernando results are a repudiation of all the supposed accomplishments of Oca as world-class mayor. That’s more than enough cause for desperation. So concluded yellow-green Toy.

And that made Oca’s supporters resort to the Judas gimmick?

Well, you know what groups are experts at making effigies, especially in protest marches and rallies.  

Some mismatch there. Observed sharp-minded Ashley Manabat.

Of course, dummy, 64 to 30 in percentage points is a mismatch, aye, it’s murder.  

No, dummy, I meant that Judas thing.

How, genius?

Buoyed up by the survey results, Cong Dong is oozing with confidence and energy as he takes on the campaign trail.

So?

Oca, on the other hand, is desperate – if we believe the yellow-green man there.

So?

So, wasn’t despair what pushed Judas to hang himself? So, dummy, whose face best fits that Judas effigy sport now?

May Ashley never be in despair as he covers the campaign in the third district. We all pray.