Nerissa backs Pablo John for guv
-A A +AWednesday, August 22, 2012
NERISSA Soon-Ruiz, the former representative of the sixth district, has thrown her support behind the candidacy of Rep. Pablo John Garcia, who is running for governor against Liberal Party (LP) bet Hilario Davide III.
Ruiz is presently a consultant of Mayor Jonas Cortes, an LP member, but she has not taken her oath with LP.
The former congresswoman’s move opens up the possibility for her to run as One Cebu Party’s candidate against incumbent Rep. Gabriel Luis “Luigi” Quisumbing of the LP.
“Nerissa has not decided yet whether to run and for what position. (She will just help me in the) sixth district and Mandaue City,” said Rep. Garcia, when asked if he will field Ruiz as his congressman candidate.
When asked if she is interested to run as district representative next year, Ruiz said, “I am committed to help Pablo John.”
When asked what she would do if the Garcias wanted her to run, she said, “I am a good soldier. (I will do) whatever will strengthen his (Pablo John’s) candidacy,” she told Sun.Star Cebu.
Three terms
Ruiz served as representative of the sixth district for three consecutive terms.
After her third term, she ran for mayor in Mandaue City in 2010, first under One Cebu Party and eventually under the Nacionalista Party, but lost to Mayor Cortes.
Ruiz was asked whether Cortes, an LP member, will support her if she runs.
“I’m not asked to resign. Ikaw na basa ana (It’s up to you to read into that),” she told Sun.Star Cebu.
The mayor hired her last July 20 as a consultant for public health.
On the day she was hired , the mayor invited her to his birthday party and she joined other prominent political figures in Mandaue now under LP, including Provincial Board Member Thadeo “Teddy” Ouano and Rep. Quisumbing.
The One Cebu Party supported Ruiz’s political bid for mayor and her entire slate for vice mayor and councilors in the 2010 elections.
But less than two months before election day, Ruiz, her vice mayor and councilors resigned from One Cebu and joined the Nacionalista Party of Sen. Manny Villar.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 22, 2012.
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