An official of Davao del Norte’s Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) expressed worry that ‘aliens’ have landed in the tourist island with their false promises of huge financial dole-outs to local officials and millions of pesos in funds for barangay projects.

These aliens are fooling the people of Igacos with their false promises so thatthey can win an election, said Vice Mayor Orly Amit.

Amit named the unwelcome visitors from “outer space’  as First District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez and his assistant Edwin Jubahib. Igacos belongs to the Second District represented in Congress  by Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr.

Alvarez is seeking reelection while Jubahib is the gubernational candidate under the Alvarez Wing of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Amit  rued that Mayor Al David Uy and some barangay officials fell victims to the Alvarez-Jubahid racket by believing their promises.

Amit is running against re-electionist Uy in the 2019 mid-term elections.

Alvarez and Jubahib are aliens who have landed in Igacos, said Amit in an interview with broadcaster Sammy Baog on Davao City’s DXRR Radyo Rapido last week.

They are not from our district. They are from the First District. They came with false promises of congressional funds, and some people believed them,  said Amit.

Amit lamented that the two fragmented the unity of politicians in Igacos by dividing its leadership with promises of millions of pesos in development funds if they join their group.

Amit said until today, Alvarez’s promises of funds have remained promises.

Going sentimental in the radio interview, Amit also expressed sadness over Igacos officials who were quick to jump to the ‘alien’ Alvarez-Jubahid camp, and forgetting leaders who had helped in the development of Igacos for many years.

If we have fathers who nurtured our growth, it is the del Rosarios (former governor Rodolfo del Rosario and son Gov. Anthony del Rosario) and Floirendo, he said.

Alvarez and Jubahid are aliens to Igacos who have no contribution whatsoever to Igacos, the vice mayor emphasized.

The vice mayor however believes that the local officials will come to their senses and make the right decision who to support in the 2019 mid-term elections, as Alvarez has not delivered on his promises of funding for the barangays.  

The Alvarez Wing is fielding Vice Governor Allan Dujali to contest the reelection of Floirendo and Jubahid for governor against Board Member Rodney del Rosario, older brother of Governor Anthony del Rosario who will challenge the reelection bid of Alvarez.

Floirendo and the del Rosarios will run under the banner of the Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HNP), a regional political party formed by presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. Amit is the HNP’s candidate for Igacos mayor.

Amit said Davao del Norte local officials, including those from Igacos, should learn a lesson from Alvarez’s lies of millions of pesos in development funds if he is reelected.

Prior to the Sanggunian Kabataan and Barangay elections last year, Alvarez, while still the sitting Speaker, also promised funds of P2 million for every barangay in the province  where his candidates under the Alvarez Wing would win in the elections.

It is also reported that Alvarez and Jubahid  cough out thousands of pesos in “pocket money’ to barangay officials if they join the Alvarez Wing and attend its political events.

While barangay officials admit they received the dole-outs, Alvarez is still to deliver on the promised barangay funds.

Kung wala na mahatag ni Alvarez sa una, labi na karon nga dili na siya Speaker (If Alvarez failed to deliver on his promise before, how much more now that he is no longer the Speaker),” Amit told Baog in the radio interview.

Alvarez was replaced by former President now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in a coup in July this year. Mayor Duterte-Carpio is said to have initiated the ouster of Alvarez for earlier calling HNP as an “opposition party.”

ALVAREZ, JUBAHIB IN WANTED LIST OF IGACOS