Ex-Sara mayor welcomes Tupas threat on House probe
Former Sara Mayor Neptali "Tali" Salcedo is undaunted over the reported Congressional probe that will look into the zero turn-out in a number of precincts for the governor's son, Fifth District Congressman-elect Niel Tupas Jr.
And he is not the "traitor," the former Mayor stressed while adding that the zero-votes for Tupas Jr. was beyond him.
Speaking over Bombo Radyo's Zona Libre, ex-Mayor Salcedo came out to react on media statements and news reports attributed to the Tupas camp that tagged said power clan as behind the clear attempt to sabotage Tupas Jr.'s election bid.
He explained that even before the campaign started, he already made known to the Tupas family that he cannot get involve with the congressional battle. The two candidates, retired Police Colonel Enrique "Boy" Suplico and Tupas Jr., are both close to the Salcedos, ex-Mayor Salcedo explained. The town owes a lot to the Suplicos, he said, for the scholarship grants granted to a lot of Sara students while Tupas Jr. is godson where he stood as among the principal sponsors in his wedding.
The explanation continued with the former mayor saying in 2004 when Tupas Sr.'s opponent got zero-votes in 27 precincts, nothing was heard from the defeated candidate and no blame was hurled against them.
Asked for his message then, ex-Mayor Salcedo quipped, "madamo gid nga salamat sa mga taga-Sara. Para sa mga Tupas, indi ako ang traidor (Thank you so much to the people of Sara. To the Tupases, I am not the traitor)."
Canvassing in the province was met with objections when the matter of the zero-votes in Sara, Iloilo came up. Tupas Jr. expressed disbelief as protest was lodged on election returns here.