Lopez, Dayanghirang cellar dwellers in congressional race survey

KARLO NOGRALES VS. MAYOR DUTERTE? 

A survey has predicted doomsday for the candidacies of two aspirants in separate races for congressional seats in Davao City, even as Dabawenyos await the decision of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on whether to run or not for Congress in the First District.

 

The PalsoDabaw survey of 1,000 respondents conducted from July 1 to 15 bares results of people’s choice for Congress in the Second District and Third District.

READY FOR THE GRAND BATTLE? Lawyer Karlo Nograles, left, and father Speaker Prospero Nograles appearing to be raring for the 2010 elections fight between the Nograleses and the Dutertes. Speaker Nograles is challenging Vice Mayor Sara Duterte in the mayoral battle, with Karlo clashing with Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in the First District congressional race.

The survey did away for the meantime with the First District with only lawyer Karlo Nograles appearing to be the lone contender for Congress, but may find a contender in last-termer Mayor Duterte who is widely believed to be planning to clash with the son and chief-of-staff of Speaker Prospero Nograles.

 

Rigor Zabala, PalsoDabaw chair, said the survey for the First District congressional race would be held in August 1, over a similar period as in the July survey and involving about 3,000 respondents.  The survey would include candidates for mayor with Vice Mayor Sara Duterte and Speaker Nograles front-lining the list of respondents’ choice.; and for the vice mayoral race.

 

Winners, losers

 

In the Second District survey for potential Congress winning aspirants, lawyer Mylen Garcia, sister of last-term Congressman Vincent Garcia, shares the top three spots neck-to-neck with two others: last-term city councilor Diosdado Mahipus and Arnolfo Cabling.

 

In the Third District survey, incumbent Congressman Isidro Ungab clobbered come-backing former Congressman Ruy Elias Lopez together with three other potential aspirants.

 

Battle of margins

 

In what is seen as a battle of slim margins, Garcia netted 29 percent, Mahipus 28 percent and Cabling getting 27 percent, with 10 percent undecided and last term councilor Danilo Dayanghirang scooping up the bottom for the remaining 6 percent.

 

Zabala said the good showing of Garcia is mainly due to the Garcia name impacting on respondents. The Garcias starting in 1992 with Manuel Garcia who was followed by son Vincent had ruled the Third district congressional race for about 18 years.

 

Corruption issue

 

He said while corruption was always a factor in respondents’ choice in any survey, he could not explain the disparate showing of Mahipus and Dayanghirang, both incumbent members of the Davao City Council that was recently rocked by a bribery scandal involving alleged extortion slapped on businessmen. The scandal revolved around the committee on housing chaired by Cabling, who has already been cleared of involvement after returning a P300,000 bribe offered by a housing developer. Zabala credited Cabling’s exposure as chair of housing and former chair of environment, the council’s most important committees behind the good showing.

 

Cabling’s return of the money could also have factored in respondents giving him a high rating, said Zabala. Mahipus, he said, could have earned the nod due to his wide political machinery, which Dayanghirang also have. But the scandal could have heavily taken its toll on Dayanghirang, who is the council floor leader and in his last term, said the PalsoDabaw chair.

 

In the Third District, the same sad fate befell on former Congressman Lopez against incumbent Congressman Ungab. Ungab trounced Lopez’ brother Rene in the last election with a wide margin in what is said to be Lopez country.

 

Hard climb for Lopez

 

But the Lopez comeback has bad news in the PalsoDabaw Survey: Ungab taking 79 percent, Lopez 7 percent with 2 % undecided, and city councilors Victorio Advincula, Nonoy Al-ag and Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz sharing 4 percent apiece.

 

Zabala said the third PalsoDabaw survey would be conducted in August 15 to 30 to validate the results of the first two surveys. The third survey would also include potential candidates for seats in the 24-member Davao City Council.

 

Final list

 

According to Zabala, the third survey would be comprehensive to cover all positions. In the mayorship the names would include Vice Mayor Duterte, Speaker Nograles and perennial candidate Dr. Jeff Ho, who run for vice mayor against Vice Mayor Duterte in the 2007.

 

In the vice mayorship, the list would have Mayor Duterte, councilor Paolo Duterte, former mayor Ben de Guzman, former vice mayor Luis Bonguyan, Congressman Vincent Garcia, councilors Leo Avila and Mabel Acosta.

 

In the first district, the congressional race survey would be front-lined by lawyer Karlo Nograles, Mayor Duterte, councilors Leo Avila and Mabel Acosta

 

The second district survey would have Garcia, Cabling, Mahipus, Dayanghirang, former councilor Jimmy Dureza, former deputy Ombudsman Billy Aportadera and businesswoman Joji Ilagan-Bian.

 

The third district would have the same names in the first survey: Ungab, Lopez, Advincula, Dalodo-Ortiz, Al-ag, with the addition of another perennial candidate Sonja Habana-Rodriguez.

 

Two-side battle

 

Zabala said he expects a two-party clash in the race for local positions in the 2010 polls, without any serious contenders from any other party or bloc, between the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and the Lakas-Kampi-CMD of Speaker Nograles.