Pres. Rodrigo R. Duterte wants to schedule a visit to the province on the first available chance he can get amid his hectic schedule.
This was bared by the President himself before a Boholano group which paid a courtesy call on him during a late dinner fellowship in Malacanang Monday night.
Ex-Gov. Victor de la Serna who was the President’s professor at the College of Law of San Beda College brought the group to the Palace after the former was invited by the President to visit him either in Malacanang or in Davao City.
Bohol Vice Gov. Dionisio Balite joined the group together with his son-in-law, lawyer Salvador Diputado, former Dauis Barangay Captain Allan Mangmang, Atty Victor de la Serna, Jr., Anthony de la Serna and businessman Donald Sevilla.
Balite described the meeting as “very casual and friendly” after they were given the last slot of callers last Monday night right after the President was interviewed by visiting Japanese journalists.
“It was a free wheeling dialogue with the President who broke protocol after they were accommodated in a dining hall like real friends from the province,” Vice Gov. Balite said. He recalled pleasantries with the President whom he invited as commencement speaker at the Bohol Institute of Technology (BIT) in 2015, even before he announced his bid for the presidency.
The friendship between the President and former Gov. de la Serna which brought the group to the Palace was evident as they hugged each other like true friends who have not seen each other for a long time.
Diputado over the airlanes sounded so excited for the succeeding turn of events following their personal audience with the President.
“Starting next week, the group led by Vice Gov. Balite will be very busy.” However, he did not elaborate,
Diputado who has been rumored to be lobbying to get a regional director seat sounded so sure that it will be an exciting turn of events for Bohol under the Duterte administration. This upcoming development will be a turn around of Diputado’s recent debacle after being declared as “persona non grata” by the Sangguniang  Panlalawigan.
Diputado said the recent questionable raid at the residence of former Dauis barangay Captain Mangmang triggered the group’s determination to meet the President.
It may be recalled that a Cebu composite team raided Mangmang’s residence two weeks ago only to find out that there were no firearms as stipulated  in the search warrant. De la Serna , who is Mangmang’s anchor host in their radio program rushed to house of the former barangay captain while the raiding team was prevented to enter the house prior to dela Serna’s arrival.
When he arrived at the scene, Dela Serna asked the raiding team to leave all their firearms outside for fear of “planting evidence” inside Mangmang’s house.
“It was politically motivated,” de la Serna said as their radio program is vocal against the present administration of Gov. Edgar Chatto.
“Somebody at the Capitol engineered the unsuccessful raid,” Mangmang declared.
The Palace dialogue last Monday brought their attention to the on-going war on drugs waged by the President.
The President showed to the Bohol group the complete list of so-called narco politics in the entire country which included Region VII and Bohol. The public awaits the President to announce the 3rd list of narco politics in due time.
Diputado said the casual meeting with the President discussed political issues in the province.
It may be  noted that the President’s political party, the PDP-Laban needs to be strengthened considering that majority of the incumbent Bohol officials are members of the Liberal Party (LP) of then Pres. Benigno Aquino III.
Presently, two Boholanos are in the President’s Cabinet, former Maribojoc Mayor Leoncio “Jun” Evasco who is the cabinet secretary and NEDA Director General Ernesto Pernia.
Evasco who is a known political leader is expected to spearhead the organization. In fact, there are reports that Evasco could either be a gubernatorial or a congressional timber in the next local polls.