Dacer loses political grip on Puntod: ex-vice mayor

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent .

FORMER councilor Alexander Dacer’s two-year absence from local politics loosened his grip on voteich Puntod, the barangay that served as his decades-old political career’s launchpad, a former vice mayor said on Wednesday.

Dacer, one of the most loyal political lieutenants of ex-mayor Vicente Emano, lost in Puntod’s race for barangay chairmanship in Monday’s elections. The former president of the Association of Barangay Councils here and councilor lost to Rixie Tinampay.

Former vice mayor Antonio Soriano said Dacer was virtually out of the political scene since 2016, and this may have factored in his defeat in Puntod, once the political bailiwick of the Emano-led Padayon Pilipino.

But Soriano noted that Tinampay also had his strengths: he is a “lumad” of Puntod where he served as youth council chairman in 1975, barangay councilor in 1982, and barangay chairman from 1983 to 1990.

After that, Tinampay left and worked abroad. He returned and ran for barangay chairman, defeating Dacer by a 145-vote margin.

Soriano said Dacer’s defeat may also be an indication that former mayor Emano has already significantly weakened, politically, in Puntod, one of the city’s biggest barangays in terms of voting population.

He also noted that Tinampay is closely identified with Mayor Oscar Moreno.

“Nakuha man gyud ni Moreno ang Puntod kay mida-og man ang iyang kandidato,” said Soriano, calling Tinampay’s victory on Monday as a big political comeback.

Dacer meanwhile said he has accepted his defeat. “Basin dunay gitanaga ang kahitas-an kanato nga position nga mas labaw pa sa kapitan.”