Flip-flopping, lies, ulterior motives

THIS REFERS to the news report titled “Salceda flip-flops, to run for Congress” (Second Front Page, 8/31/15).

There is no truth to Gov. Joey Salceda’s claim that major political leaders belonging to the Liberal Party in Albay and its coalition partners have reached a consensus to forge “unity tickets,” meaning, all elective positions—from congressman, governor, vice governor, to city and municipal mayors—held by LP would be unchallenged. I am not privy to this phantom consensus and Salceda has no authority to speak for the political situation and alignments in my congressional district.

Salceda should speak only for himself, except that his words are to be doubted because he flip-flops all the time. Note that he categorically stated in the gathering of local government officials, who signified their support for Mar Roxas’ presidential bid in San Juan last Aug. 4, that he will not seek an elective post in 2016 and just concentrate in supporting LP’s standard-bearer, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas. The fact is, I was the only House representative of Albay who welcomed this commitment from him.

But true to his character of making off-the-cuff statements just to gain media mileage, Salceda has reneged on his commitment by making the untruthful assertion that I, together with the representatives from Albay’s second and third districts and two party-list congressmen from Albay, have reached a consensus that he run for the second district’s congressional seat. Which is not at all surprising given his history of being untruthful with his statements and insincere with promises.

People should be reminded that in the 2010 elections, Salceda abandoned Lakas-CMD to join the LP a mere two weeks going into election day. He did this when he felt that Lakas presidential standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro was going to lose. This effectively made orphans of his party-mates in Lakas all over the province of Albay.

Flip-flopping is a badge of insincerity and poor leadership. It is also indubitable proof of one’s propensity for political opportunism and for advancing one’s selfish interests only.

Salceda suffers from lack of credibility because he pontificates on one thing and does the opposite. In the 2013 elections, he would raise the hand of an LP candidate but would campaign for another belonging to a rival party. He takes pride in forming “unity tickets” only to abandon them as his whim and caprice dictate. He deludes the people of Albay by promoting himself as one who values unity, when in truth he revels in creating divisiveness in politics for its own sake. This is a man who should never be trusted. His word means nothing.

Again, I categorically say: Salceda has no authority to speak for me or for anyone who was not part of the so-called consensus meeting. I will not allow the people of the first district of Albay to be deceived by him and I will always, in good conscience, reject his leadership.

—REP. EDCEL “GREX” LAGMAN, First District, Albay