Sidelights on the Capitol standoff
This work week was a first for over a thousand Capitol employees brought by the continuing power standoff mainly from dismissed governor Niel Tupas Sr.
It all began Sunday with sudden flurry of activity in the multi-million Capitol building as provincial guards were called for a 2 p.m. emergency meeting. Blue guards of the Illustrious Security Agency managed by a governor's ally, Miag-ao Mayor Gerry Flores also went on high alert with those in night and morning shifts and even off-duty told to report for work.
The culprit? The Sunday mid-morning radio interview with Undersecretary Wencelito Andanar of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) who was the first DILG official to confirm that an order is out for the dismissal and not suspension of Tupas. Earlier confirmations were made by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez who said DILG Secretary Ricardo Puno personally called him twice to relay the message.
A press conference was then arranged that gathered the entire Tupas family, department heads, six mayors including the Governor's son, political allies and supporters. Lilia Gonzales, ex-officio member of the Provincial Board was a standout in her emotional outbursts and antics during the press conference carried live by radio stations.
Described by reporters present as both "amusing and irritating," Gonzales would butt-in with comments vowing she will risk her life defending and supporting the beleaguered governor. This, as she also promised her all-out objection on the planned dismissal of Tupas saying "indi ko magsugot nga ang Capitol buslan sang isa ka makawat! (I will not allow that the Capitol will be taken over by a thief)."
Incidentally, Gonzales was a co-respondent of the governor and another Capitol official in an Anti-Graft and Bribery administrative and criminal case filed before the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas.
Docketed as OMB-V-C-05-0066-B and OMB-V-A-05-0062-B, Gonzales was charged by the People's Graftwatch of Iloilo over the controversies surrounding the multi-million construction of the new Iloilo Rehabilitation Center (IRC).
By 6 p.m. Sunday, dumptrucks were parked and blocked all Capitol gates as the governor's aides were seen carrying bags of the family's personal belongings. A first for Tupas and any Iloilo governor, the province's first family spent the night and sought refuge here as supporters arrived for a 'vigil.'
Free food was continuously served with the ground floor lobby and outside premises serving as holding center for the Tupas loyalists.
Monday saw yet more flurry and 'excitement' with the action starting off as early as 5 a.m. Uniformed and armed guards milled around the Capitol premises, anti-government and pro-Tupas streamers and placards were readied, a sound system installed as anti-riot gears of the IRC were brought in.
Retired Police Senior Superintendent Juan Mabugat, IRC warden was on top of the security preparations as local radio stations made a comprehensive hourly coverage of the Capitol scenario.
Adding to the 'excitement' was the public declaration of the governor that he will defy the dismissal order saying such is illegal. Hours into the much-awaited arrival of the DILG 'serving team,' questions still hang on what specific case caused the entire brouhaha.
The dismissal order was indeed defied with Tupas and his men vowing to stay in power.
Meantime, the scheduled State of the Province Address (SOPA) has been postponed. Invites were all set for distribution and phone calls already made to guests yet with the latest mis-development cum setback on the state of Tupas, no provincial address will be heard till further notice.
DILG Secretary Puno has now warned Tupas following information of physical blockades and human barricades in the Capitol.
"I don't care how many trucks are placed in the Capitol or how many people there are. We will implement this," Puno told RMN's Rhod Tecson. By mid-Monday morning an estimated 1,000 supporters, mostly members of militant groups gathered by the Capitol grounds. Chants of pro-Tupas and anti-Arroyo were heard as allies of the governor took turns in declaring their solid support.
Secretary Gonzalez when told of the matter quipped in jest, "mayo na kay Kumander nila si Tupas kag si Mejorada."
Members of the media and others outside the legal team and family members were requested to vacate the governor's office with Mejorada explaining such was in order to protect the governor.
Mabugat personally manned the entrance, employees ordered to strictly wear ID as local coverage of the Capitol action continued.
Yesterday (Tuesday) saw a change in the entire brouhaha though. Media coverage particularly AM radio networks went back to regular programming with Capitol updates made only during regular news and public affairs programs.
Even the crowd got noticeably lesser as transactions blocked whole day of Monday were expected to be realized.
Even those from nearby province of Guimaras got affected with the distribution of oil spill claims cancelled.