Western Samar, Figueroa, Tan, And Keeping It In The Family
Once again, as the national voting seems to indicate, the opposition has made a tremendous showing by projecting 8 GO senators to enter the magic 12. But in local elections, which I was worried about, KAMPI and LAKAS seems to have kept the local positions in the family.
Looking into a section of our nation for some juicy details, and maybe a little analysis, let’s take a peek into Western Samar (or just Samar). This is the part of the Visayas that has seen the ebb and flow of The Figueroa family in terms of dominance. Not only are the individual parties such as KAMPI and LAKAS trying to keep the political positions in the family, but the individual candidates are taking great strides to exert their family dominance in this region as well. This is not new in Philippine politics, but let’s see how the overall scene seems to mock the term “voter’s choice”.
From the current tallies that have come in, here’s how it fairs so far.
WESTERN SAMAR
Governor (NAMFREL, as of 3 a.m. May 17, 2007; 669 precincts)
FIGUEROA, Neliptha (Lakas) 53,877
TAN, Milagrosa (Kampi) 63,463Vice Governor (NAMFREL, as of 3 a.m.)
REDAJA, Jesus (Kampi) 49,801
TIOPES, Menandro (Lakas-CMD) 48,871Congressman (1st district) (NAMFREL, as of 3 a.m.)
GREY, Joseph (PDSP) 40,683
UY, Reynaldo (LP/Lakas) 53,839Congressman (2nd district) (NAMFREL, as of 3 a.m.)
FIGUEROA, Catalino (PDP-Laban) 28,840
TAN, Sharee Ann (Kampi) 31,860CATBALOGAN
Mayor
ARCALES, Fe 64
UY, Coefredo 1,618CALBAYOG (NAMFREL, as of 9 a.m.)
Mayor
SARMIENTO, Mel Senen (LP-Lakas) 34,331
TUAZON, Rudolfo (Kampi-NP) 27,567Vice-Mayor
AQUINO, Ronaldo (LP) 36,310
ROSALES, Ariel (Kampi) 23,871
From inspection, two surnames may jump out at you — Figueroa and Tan. Let’s see if they are related. Well — what do you know, they are.
Milagrosa Tan is the mother of Sharee Ann Tan, both of which are leading in the tallies, and both of which are allied with KAMPI.
Catalino Figueroa is the husband of Neliptha Figueroa, both of which are trailing in the tallies, the parties are PDP/LABAN and LAKAS, respectively.
For those not familiar with this area’s politics. It has long been the stronghold of Catalino Figueroa, who has had numerous terms as Congressman. The last time Figueroa lost, we saw the bright Ed Nachura win handedly. But with the fall of the popularity of GMA, we also saw the fall of Ed Nachura’s popularity in the region.
But, both Catalino Figueroa and Mila Tan and their respective families used to be allies back in 2004, until the need for power put a wedge between the two. And yet, both are facing allegations of illegalities. Figueroa is alleged to have been part of the assassination of Mayor Astorga in Daram, and Tan is alleged for many graft charges as well. What a choice for the voters.
In any case, the family dominance seems to be passing from one family to another. And right now, the dominant family in the area seems to be Tan.
Of course we are seeing this case all over the entire country, but I thought maybe a closer look at a single area would drive the idea home a bit more.
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Amand’s analysis on Samar is astute. I agree that the Samarenos had very limited choices — it was like a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea so to speak. Based on Samar’s political history, Cata Figueroa is just one lucky politician who did not know when to stop stretching his luck. He thrived on this luck and his opponents’ weaknesses. In 1992 when he first won as Congressman, the then powerful Samar Governor Tony Bolastig (LP) supported him against several candidates that included Atty Ed Nachura (Lakas). Figueroa had minimal financial resources at that time but Bolastig’s vaunted machinery won it for him. By 1995, Figueroa had already enough resources such that he decided to fight his own patron for Samar 2nd district’s congressional post — Gov. Tony Bolastig himself. Figueroa was able to convince a large cross-section of Samar’s middle class to support him because of Gov Bolastig’s excesses (e.g., the infamous Solid Builder’s water supply project for Catbalogan, Samar). Figueroa was also able to sew up the Nachura camp’s support, with the promise that he will yield the post by 1998 to Nachura. To cut the long story short, Figueroa trounced Bolastig and started to be perceived as invincible; some even labelled him the “giant slayer.”
From 1995-98, Figueroa had a dismal record in terms of the infrastructure projects he implemented through his CDF. He also reneged on his commitment to yield the post to Nachura and support him in May 1998. Figueroa fortified his political machinery; Nachura established his grassroots organization called “Samar 21.” And so a battle royale ensued. Nachura won over Figueroa by a landslide.
They faced off for the third time in 2001. Nachura again trounced Figueroa, and went on to serve his 2nd term. Figueroa got embroiled in an ambush, which he allegedly led, over his wife’s political opponents in the shorelin of Brgy. Tinaogan, Zumarraga (an island municipality). This led to the filing of Murder charges against him and five others (the case is ongoing at the Manila RTC Brach 49).
Nachura, on the other hand, served as the Chair of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments. His national exposure increased but unfortunately for him, his local presence in Samar drastically decreased. All the while, Figueroa was rebuilding old political linkages, using Nachura’s perennial absence from the local scene as his battle cry. Nachura’s rapport with the Samarnons had been greatly eroded such that by May 2004, Figueroa was able to beat him, thereby making their score even at 2-2 (Figueroa in 1992; Nachura in 1998 and 2001; and Figueroa again in 2004).
Few would have thought Figueroa would lose to a political neophyte named Sharee Ann Tan. However, the cold-blooded murder of the highly popular Daram Mayor Benito Astorga on January 25, 2007 sparked a silent but growing outrage among the Samarnons. Never again, they thought. Despite his denials, Figueroa could not distance himself from Astorga’s murder. It can be recalled that he and his elder brother Miguel, were also charged for the cold blooded murder of Dioscoro Astorga in January 1986. Astorga was then Daram’s chief of police and slated to fight Miguel Figueroa for the mayoralty post of Daram. The gunmen were convicted but the Figueroa brothers were acquitted, supposedly due to lack of evidence. This time, another Figueroa had so much to benefit from Mayor Astorga’s murder — Bartolome Figueroa III, Catalino’s grandson, was Daram’s Vice Mayor. He then succeeded Mayor Astorga (but lost heavily to the latter’s wife in last week’s elections).
Figueroa’s greatest problem right now is not political but legal. He is facing another murder case this time for allegedly masterminding the January murder of Mayor Astorga. The NBI has lodged the complaint at the Samar Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. The alleged gunmen have identified Cata Figueroa, his nephew Edgar Figueroa, his grandson former Daram Vice Mayor Bartolome, and several others as among the planners to liquidate Astorga.
The recent defeat of Cata Figueroa to 25 year old Sharee Ann Tan, and his wife Neliptha’s trouncing in the hands of Gov. Milagrosa Tan, are widely believed to be the last nail to their political…as well as legal coffin. Given the string of criminal cases that Figueroa faces, he will be hard-pressed to finance his legal defense after spending millions in the last elections where four Figueroas ran (and only one won — Edwin Figueroa for the mayoralty post of Zumarraga).
Politics is therefore the least of his concerns. His own survival is.
Samarnon,
As for the next time around, I’m still wondering who will replace the Figueroas as the new opposition to the incumbent Mother-daughter tandems of the Tans.
I have to agree though, that The Astorga murder case was deafening to the ears of all Samareños as well as the nation…
Such a gifted political clan, The Figueroas could have done so much, but their rise to political power by the means of violence may have just been their undoing…
I hope the younger Tan will learn from the mistakes of those who preceded her, but in order for that to happen, she may have to sacrifice her relationship with her mother.. Not likely.
By the way, I Amand does not exist =), it’s a typographical error… “AM and” is supposed to be written there..
Samarnon’s historical essay on Samar 2nd district politics is quite illuminating. But I think there is an omission, specifically on why Cata Figueroa and Gov Mila Tan parted ways. In the 2004 elections where Figueroa trounced Nachura for the congressional post (in their 4th and last electoral battle), it is public knowlegdge that Tan financed Figueroa’s win over Nachura. Figueroa supposedly committted to pay Tan back through CDF projects. This never happened. When Tan started to exert efforts to collect, Figueroa started attacking Tan publicly, deliberately driving a wedge between them. He called Tan names, mostly below-the-belt. This led Tan to field her own daughter Sharee Ann. And as fate would have it, the daughter beat Cata Figueroa handily and by a wide margin (more than 12,000 votes).
I noticed that Cata Figueroa seems to have a history of turning against his own political patrons. He turned against Gov Tony Bolastig in 1995. Then against Gov Mila Tan in 2007. Only this time, his former patron beat him black and blue as both husband and wife Neliptha lost by wide margins.
I totally agree that Cata Figueroa’s biggest problem is no longer political. He has to defend himself against what seem to strong murder cases against him and members of his family.
Quo vadis Cata?
A friend sent me some text messages, during the election season, all regarding the involvement of Cata in the murder of Astorga…
It’s an eye opening look at how political campaigns embraced the growing Filipino culture of texting…
@Catbaloganon, indeed Cata may be asking himself the same question, “Where am I going?”
I thought the NPA were to be blamed for the Astorga murder in Daram? Could it be that Cata Figueroa is just being framed for this murder in order to discredit him? In fact, you guys are saying that he lost the election mainly because of this incident, so maybe he was framed after all?
To my friend HindiAkoPinoy:
Murder frame-ups are too complicated a game for Samarnons. We do not have such history — from Decoroso Rosales, Nanding Veloso, Peping Rono, Tomasing Ricalde, up to Tony Bolastig. The game was just pure politics, along with its usual dirt: political patronage, vote selling and buying, and the occasional black prop. But never murders.
Let us look at when all these started in Samar’s 2nd district.
An objective assessment as to who who stood to benefit the most from Mayor Astorga’s killing would reveal the perpetrators of that criminal act.
Just a cursory review of history.
1) In Jan 1986, Roy Astorga was murdered in cold blood right in his own home in Daram, Samar. Who was his would-be political opponent in the upcoming elections at that time?
2) In May 2001, the Lim family and supporters were ambushed in the seas of Brgy Tinaogan, Zumarraga. Who was trying to wrest the Zumarraga mayoralty post from Mayor Casilda Lim at that time?
3) In Jan 2007, Mayor Benito Astorga was murdered right in his hometown while attending a barangay dance with his constituents. Who was took over his post as the Vice Mayor of that municipality?(under our laws, the Vice Mayor takes over in case of death, disability or resignation of the mayor)
Frame ups? Nah! Probability of that is almost nil. That’s more imagined than real. Who would have both the motivation and capability to do that? Certainly not Gov Mila Tan who is good at something else. Just examine the common denominator of the answers to the 3 questions above. An examination of the intent and motive to liquidate the people above would be the key to clarifying the picture.
The clear motive is power; and the accumulation of wealth through it. As the saying goes, power corrupts…absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Nick, I am certainly one with you in hoping that the younger Tan rises up to the challenge of helping push Samar towards sustainable development. Something that her mother has failed to do. In fact, she is pushing the province in the opposite direction.
Good luck to Samar.
HindiAkoPinoy,
In their Press release, the CPP-NPA-NDF, thru Fr. Santiago “Sanny” Salas admitted the killing of Mayor Benito Astorga.They justified the murder by saying Mayor Astorga as corrupt, etc..
However, the landslide victory of his wife, Dra. Astorga,only means that the Communists Philandering Priest Fr. Salas and his NPA Sparu killers were proven wrong by the people of Daram.
But according to the NBI, they have strong evidences that will point to Catalino Figueroa as the alleged mastermind of the murder of Benito.
A classic example of the evil connivance of the communists and dirty politicos in Samar.