Belac happier now so far

I interviewed Gov. Dominador Belac the week before the election to get his views on several topics.

Before we do that, allow me first to hammer a tired old message to my favorite agency: the Kalinga Electric Cooperative.

My friends at the KAELCO, perhaps you should start considering a change of name. I am of the notion that the word COOPERATIVE is missing in your dictionary. You happen to be one of the most uncooperative agencies in my book. Followers of this column know for a fact that I am very much capable of writing a really scathing column.

So much for KAELCO, let's get back to Governor Belac and my story on him.

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“Honestly, I feel I’m a free man today – free of tensions, free of the pressures. I feel happier today by not running (for election)… No regrets.”

Gov. Dominador Belac Sr. said the above in reply to a question I asked as to how he felt about not taking part in Monday’s elections as a candidate.

This writer interviewed the governor to get his views on election matters and the situation in the province in general.

Belac admitted that he felt that there is a lot of tension in Kalinga at the moment but deigned to offer specifics explaining that doing so might have advese effects on some candidates.

Belac, however, admitted that there is massive vote buying in Kalinga. He cited the case of Pinukpuk, his hometown, where “some candidates started giving P500 per voter last week especially in the far-flung barangays.” (It was worse in Tanudan and in other parts of the province where candidates paid up to P1,500 plus a sack of rice.)

Belac, who is available for two more re-elections but opted to quit politics after sitting as Pinukpuk mayor for 13 years (1986-1998) and governor for two terms (1998-2001 and 2004-present), shared the view that he could not really blame the voters for selling their votes.

“Because of the economic crisis and a lot of other factors, people just simply bite the bullet,” Belac said.

On the issue of placing the entire province under COMELEC control whereby a total gun ban shall be implemented, Belac said, “I will be the first person to congratulate COMELEC if they could successfully implement total gun ban (in Kalinga).”

He explained that there are many factors to consider such as the characteristics of the Kalinga people, which could undermine the implementation of COMELEC control.

“Nasubeg ti yKalinga (Kalingas are stubborn),” Belac said.

Belac likewise supported the view of Sr. Supt. Severino Cruz, Kalinga provincial director, that there is a need to beef up the mandated two policemen per polling center considering the geographical feature of the province.

During the declaration of COMELEC control for Kalinga last May 7, Cruz pointed out to regional director Armando Velasco that they need at least a team of soldiers to secure the PNP personnel who shall secure the polling centers.

Cruz said strictly adhering to the order by the PNP top brass to assign only two cops per polling center would unnecessarily put to greater risks his men who would be assigned in some areas especially in upper Kalinga.

Velasco ordered a top-level meeting with the PNP and AFP the next day. No word of the results of the meeting is available to the local media as of this writing. (The request was granted.)

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I also asked Apo Doming regarding his reported "atras fee" and he simply replied: "History shall be my judge if I ever took any money so as not to run. That is between me and my conscience...between me and my God."**Bani Asbucan