| Case Study 2
Every election in Samar province is highly contested between the Liberal Party and NPC-NP coalition. Heading the NPC-NP party slate is the matriarch of the Tan dynasty Rep. Milagrosa Tan and daughter Gov. Sharee Ann Tan while LP is headed by DILG Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento and his strong ally Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino.
The Tan dynasty has been in power for more than two decades. Their efforts to control the entire province, including the cities of Catbalogan and Calbayog, by putting family members in top positions, face strong oppositions from the LP. The resistance resulted to massive recruitment of supporters, widespread vote-buying among other illegal activities.
Since the start of political rivalries in the province, many government officials have been shot to death in broad light, killed in front of families, town hall and even inside barangay halls and houses.
The presence of private armed groups in the province, the massive vote-buying and political killings is a main factor why few contest elective positions in Samar. This is also probably one of the reasons causes why Samar is still in the list of top 20 poorest provinces in the country. |
