Samsam: Soc Stays with Alayon

The numbers game will play a crucial part in Talisay City’s politicial system, and this early, first district Representative-elect Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas is confident that his party is the majority bloc.

Samsam, who is grandson of Alayon Party chairman and outgoing Congressman Eduardo Gullas, said they are still the majority in Talisay Ciy, and debunked claims that outgoing Mayor Socrates Fernandez, who will sit as City Councilor on July 1, is still with them. It is rumored that Fernandez, one of the seven councilors from the Alayon, is set to jump ship now that his own party is soon to become the opposition.

Samsam said that as far as he knows Fernandez is still with the Alayon party. For his part, although he is regularly seen attending gatherings hosted by the Liberal Party, Fernandez rejected speculation that he has already joined the camp of incoming Mayor Johnny V. delos Reyes. He said he just has many friends from the Liberal Party (LP), and that he could not reject their invitation to join them in these gatherings.

The incoming Talisay City Council will be compose of nine councilors–including the Association of Barangay Councils president and Sangguniang Kabataan Federation head–comes from the Alayon and three from the administration. Its presiding officer, Vice Mayor-elect Romeo Villarante, is also from the administration. Even if Fernandez would switch sides, a political analyst said it would still leave the opposition dominating the council, if it decides to do so.