Gov, son, in-law, niece get LP nod after tiff set aside

GOV. SOL Matugas after receiving her certificate of nomination as a Liberal Party candidate from Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad DANILO V. ADORADOR III/INQUIRER MINDANAO

SURIGAO CITY—Reelectionist Surigao del Norte Gov. Sol Matugas’ words came back to haunt her as she received the nomination on Wednesday as Liberal Party’s (LP) official candidate in next year’s elections.

Matugas had suggested that LP standard-bearer Mar Roxas was unfit to lead the nation, and even took a swipe at President Aquino’s leadership.

The governor vented her ire on Roxas, then interior secretary, for supposedly breaking protocol in the release of four policemen captured by communist rebels in July last year.

PO3 Vic Calubag Concon, PO1 Rey O’niel Morales, PO1 Joen Zabala and PO1 Edito Roquino were captured during the July 10 raid on the police station of Alegria town and were held for 19 days before the New People’s Army (NPA) turned them over to Agusan del Norte officials, led by Gov. Angel Amante.

It was Amante who turned over the policemen to Roxas in Kitcharao town.

The release of the captives came after Roxas agreed on a five-day ceasefire with the NPA.

“What I regretted is the action of the national (government) to take over (the negotiations), as if we don’t know what we are doing,” Matugas, who headed the provincial crisis team, said then.

She had said she felt deceived because Roxas and his team had indicated that the turnover of the policemen would be in Surigao del Norte, particularly in Alegria.

She said she was taken aback when, at the last minute, Roxas informed her that the release would be in Kitcharao.

But on Wednesday, everything appeared to have been forgiven and forgotten as the governor received her certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) from Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, an LP stalwart.

Other members of the governor’s family also received their CONAs: her son, Francisco Matugas Jr. for representative of the province’s first district, her brother-in-law Ernesto Matugas for reelection as Surigao City mayor and niece Lucille Sering, for representative in the second district.

A visibly elated Matugas also led the swearing in of several local leaders to the ruling party, administered by Abad.

Her festive mood, however, was in stark contrast during her run-in with Roxas over a year ago, in which she questioned the character of her own party’s standard-bearer.

“When you select a leader of a nation, that’s a critical decision. It’s not a party that comes to me, it’s the person,” Matugas had said.

“I can vote for anyone, if I see that he deserves to be there,” said the governor, referring to Roxas’ supposed “disrespect” for her and the provincial government.

She added: “Look at our country, being served by a lot of leaders and what’s going on? You see what’s happening now.” Danilo Adorador III, Inquirer Mindanao