IS THE Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) Cebu City Chapter going to have a three-pronged presidential race on Aug. 20?
Although she has yet to make a final decision, Mabolo barangay captain-elect Niña Mabatid said she is keeping her doors open.
“I have no final decision yet, but I am open because it’s the Office of the President that’s asking me to run,” she said.
Mabatid, though, did not name who among the officials urged her to run for ABC president and just said, “everyone under our President (Rodrigo Duterte).”
Should Mabatid decide to push through with her bid, she will be vying for the presidency against Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan’s (BOPK) Franklyn Ong (Barangay Kasambagan) and the opposition’s Phillip Zafra (Barangay Tisa).
While Ong and Zafra may have more leadership experience, Mabatid said she can lead the 80 village chiefs despite being new to the political scene.
“It’s a given that I’m a neophyte, and that’s the very reason the Office of the President chose me to be their candidate for ABC. The goal is to unite all,” she said.
Ong and Zafra, for their part, have no qualms about having another opponent.
For Zafra, outgoing ABC president, the race is not a matter of personalities, but on who can contribute to the city.
“I am independent-minded and a servant leader, but both are worthy opponents. At the end of the day, it will be the barangay captains who will decide,” he said.
Ong, on the other hand, stressed that his 54 allied barangay captains in BOPK will remain with the group’s stand despite Mabatid’s pronouncement.
Like Ong, Mabatid ran under BOPK during the May polls.
“I strongly believe that the BOPK barangay captains are firm, united and will tow the line despite of anything. I have faith in my fellow punong barangays. The ABC presidency should be ruled by service, not dictatorship,” Ong said.
Winner of the ABC election will sit as an ex-officio member of the City Council.
Meanwhile, the opposition wants Zafra to keep his post to uphold check and balance in the council.
But with Mabatid in the picture, will she be a threat to both the opposition and BOPK?
“But whether I will run or not, I will help and support whoever the ABC president will be and will introduce change in the ABC, protect its independence and to make sure that authentic governance will be felt by all the barangay captains,” Mabatid said.
Sought for comment, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he will not stop Mabatid from running.
At this point, however, he said he doesn’t know where her loyalty stands.
“She’s welcome to run. Outside (she’s with BOPK), but inside, she gets all kinds of tricks. Like she asked (reelected Capitol Site Barangay Captain Manuel) Guanzon to be her vice president, what does that mean?” Osmeña said.
“Niña approached Guanzon to be the vice president for ABC, di man mudawat si Guanzon (another BOPK ally). Guanzon told me himself that this is not a fight on who should be ABC president. This is a fight between Team Rama and BOPK,” he added.
Mabatid did not deny nor confirm the mayor’s allegations, saying the question should be addressed to Guanzon instead.
SunStar Cebu tried to reach Guanzon, but he was not available as of press time. (RTF)