KA-GRUPO: Deserted, Organized and Determined?
By PJTREMEDAL, Western Mindanao Bureau

Misamis Occidental – A group of politicians in Misamis Occidental had join forces to form into an aggrupation to prove that they are a political force to reckon with. A group of deserted politicians but organized and determined.

It may be recalled that KA-GRUPO during the last May 2010 Election in the 1st District of Misamis Occidental campaign for a solid political party, however, they were not given a chance to prove their worth in public service.

Five of them run as mayoral candidate but lost for reasons they only know and their party, the Lakas -KAMPI of the Ramiro-Almonte tandem as Governor and Congressman in the 1st District.

The two won the May 2010 election, but the five mayoral candidates; Diego “Nonoy” Ty of Plaridel, Rosario “Inday” Balais of Jimenez, Gardson Mutia of Aloran, Pacita Yap of Sapang Dalaga, and Lito Awa of Calamba did not make it.

Governor Hermie M. Ramiro of the Lakas-KAMPI took the province from the former governor who chooses to run for Congress and won, Congressman Leo Ocampos of the 2nd District an LP candidate while former Oroquieta City Mayor Jorge Taghap Almonte of the Lakas-KAMPI won over former Congressman Ernie Clarete of the Nacionalista Party for the 1st District Congressional Seat.

In the middle of his term, Congressman Almonte takes oath as an LP with the P-NOY Administration but the governor stays with the Lakas-KAMPI in running the provincial government.

Misamis Occidental political analysts say that the election fever is on even before the October 2012 filing of candidacy for May 2013. A coalition of local Lakas-LP-NP might happen in the end of the day.

In an interview, KA-GRUPO told Mindanao Daily News after negotiations failed they had to group themselves and accept two guest members Roy Yap of Sapang Dalaga who run for Independent Board Member under LP Party and SB Miguel Gutierrez of Lopez Jaena to run for the mayoral slate on May 2013 into, again, a solid group but this time, without a political party.

Accordingly, they were deserted by their political party which prioritized the winning mayors in accordance with the equity of incumbents. As of this writing KA-GRUPO opted to run again against the incumbents as an opposition to the local coalition.

However an insider said that if the governor and the congressman has no opponent in the next election, KA-GRUPO are not vindictive politicians, still they will chose to support the two, but if political scenery will turn its tide, KA-GRUPO is the real opposition, joining a national political party opposing the Lakas-LP-NP-NPC coalition.

KA-GRUPO finally says they are deserted politicians of the 1st District yet strong and determine to prove their worth as public servants.

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