ROXAS CITY --- Wilson Acervo, the barangay captain of Mongpong, will likely be the next president of Liga ng mga Barangay for Roxas City, The Capiz Times learned.

          If elected to the said position, Acervo will automatically sit as ex-officio member of the City Council, the city’s legislative body, and will enjoy the same perks afforded to a regular Council member.

          A source who refused to be identified because he did not have the authority to speak on the matter, said that Acervo’s election to the post is “definite” because he (Acervo) enjoys the support of high-ranking Liberal Party leaders like Mayor Vicente Bermejo, Congressman Antonio del Rosario (1st District, LP, Capiz) and Sen. Mar Roxas.

          The same source said that Senator Roxas has already given his “go-signal” to Acervo to head the city Liga. The matter was reportedly relayed by Roxas through a text message sent to mayor Bermejo .

          This matter was arrived at after mayor Bermejo  and Senator Roxas reportedly made their own consultation with the city’s barangay captains regarding Acervo’s “acceptability.”

          Acervo has been known to be an avid supporter of Bermejo, particularly in the latter’s bid for city mayorship.

          In fact, in the last election, Bermejo won in Barangay Mongpong by a comfortable margin over his lone rival for the post, former city councilor Teresa Almalbis. This was largely credited to Acervo’s “leadership.”

          The LP has been the dominant political force in Capiz. As such, it determines who will sit in certain major positions, like the presidency of the Liga ng mga Barangay. In this case, the LP is deemed responsible for people who would handle the top Liga posts, both in the city and in the province.

          In fact, a source said, in the recent Philippine Councilor’s League (PCL)-Capiz Chapter election, the LP also played a major role in choosing the officers of the group. Thus, the election of David Felix Bauson, the number one councilor of Panitan, as president of PCL-Capiz and other officers under his slate, was made possible because of the LP intervention, particularly Senator Roxas.

          This was confirmed by Bauson himself who profusely thanked the LP leadership, particularly Senator Roxas.

          A loyal LP member, Acervo was supposed to sit as ex-officio member of the city council before the Oct. 29 polls, after being appointed to the post by then mayor Antonio del Rosario. He was supposed to fill the vacancy caused by the running and eventual election of then city Liga head Roger Delfin as city councilor.

          But Acervo’s fate as Delfin’s replacement hit a snag reportedly due to the strong opposition put up by then newly-elected city vice mayor Ronnie Dadivas (LP), who, it is believed, was not the one supported by Acervo in the recent city vice mayoral race. – Gerry T. Pagharion