Gullas targets mayor’s office

REP. Eduardo Gullas said he is reluctant to run for office again but has decided to run for mayor of Talisay City in May 2013, 12 years after he became the city’s first mayor.

While they were not surprised by the congressman’s announcement yesterday, Talisay City’s opposition leaders said that the plan, along with the candidacy of the congressman’s grandsons, was proof enough that a political dynasty is being built in the first district of Cebu Province.

Gullas made the announcement in front of the district’s mayors, vice mayors and councilors inside his office in the University of the Visayas (UV) yesterday afternoon.

He told reporters that at first, he had wanted to retire from politics and focus on helping his brother, Jose “Dodong” Gullas, in managing UV.

But his only son, Gerald Anthony “Didi” Gullas, didn’t want to run for a political post and has decided to help his uncle by managing their family’s university.

Also, officials in Talisay City, particularly those under his party, are pushing for him to run again for city mayor, said Gullas, who is also a former governor of Cebu.

“Ako gyud, dili na unta gyud ko gusto mubalik (If it was entirely up to me, I wouldn’t want to go back). However, acceding to the request of our leaders in Talisay, I am constrained to not ignore their request as I, too, have been asking favors from them.

I am prepared to offer myself to run as mayor of Talisay City,” Gullas said.

Running in tandem with Gullas is reelectionist Vice Mayor Alan Bucao.

It was not clear what position Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez, a Gullas ally, will run for. He is reportedly among those being considered as a possible candidate for vice governor, but is also open to running for a seat in the Talisay City Council.

In a separate interview, Talisay City opposition Councilor Romeo Villarante said that
Gullas’ announcement was not surprising. The lawyer said that he and members of the opposition have known for some time now that Gullas is running for city mayor.

Villarante, however, said that Gullas should have yielded to a “real” resident of Talisay City.

He also said the opposition plans to field a challenger.

Villarante also pointed out that the congressman’s grandsons, Samsam and Digul Gullas, are running in the May 2013 elections.

But Gullas denied the allegations made by Villarante and his cohorts that he was forming a political dynasty. It will be up to the people whether they would vote for him or not, he said.

Back in 2001, Gullas also ran for Talisay City mayor while his brother Dodong ran for first district congressman to replace him.

It was also Gullas who worked on the bill that led to Talisay’s conversion from a town to a city in December 2010.

Aside from announcing his candidacy yesterday, Gullas also revealed the Alayon’s candidates in the other five towns and cities in the district.

In Minglanilla, incumbent Vice Mayor Lani Peña will be running for mayor while current Mayor Eduardo Selma’s son and town councilor, Jojo, will be running for vice mayor.

In Naga City, the incumbent tandem of Mayor Valdemar Chiong and Vice Mayor Delfin Señor will maintain their line-up for next year’s elections.

In San Fernando, former town mayor Lakambini “Neneth” Reluya and her husband, Barangay Panadtaran chief Nonoy Reluya, will be running for mayor and vice mayor. However, they have yet to decide who will run for which office.

In Carcar City, the incumbent tandem of City Mayor Nicepuro Apura and Vice Mayor Patrick Barcenas will also maintain their line-up.

Sibonga’s Mayor Lionel Bacaltos and his Vice Mayor Rey Apuda will run for reelection next year.

Gullas said that a majority of the candidates that they have chosen have no major opponents as of now.