LP’s choice: Caminero for Congress

LAWYER Hilario Davide III, Liberal Party-Cebu chairman, confirmed that Provincial Board (PB) Member Wilfredo Caminero has been picked as the party’s official candidate to run for Congress in the second district.

Davide said he informed Dr. Cora-Lou Kintanar, before he got his certificate of nomination and acceptance as the gubernatorial candidate of LP last Sept. 17, that she was not the official congressional candidate of LP for the second district.

He said that on the same day that he spoke with Kintanar, Davide also informed Caminero about the party’s decision of choosing the PB member as the candidate for congressman.

Caminero said he accepted the party decision. This means, Caminero will run against Deputy Speaker Pablo Garcia in the 2013 polls.

He said he is ready to face Garcia.

Caminero is expected to receive his certificate of nomination and acceptance soon after it was sent yesterday from the LP national headquarters in Manila.

The PB member admitted he has no edge in facing the other candidate, however, his decision to accept the challenge is to be an alternative candidate and to show support to Davide.

“I (am) submit(ting) myself as an alternative for the people to choose. I also want to show support to Junjun (Davide),” Caminero told Sun.Star Cebu.

Last Sept. 5, a secret balloting was done in the second district where Caminero was defeated by Kintanar. Davide, however, clarified that it was not yet final.

He pointed out that the meeting was called for the purpose of consultation to the LP leaders who have been with the party since the 2010 elections and to introduce the new party members.

Meanwhile, LP members in Talisay City are preparing for a lean election season next year, as they will be waging a campaign without financial support from their national counterparts.

Despite the lack of funds to wage a city-wide campaign, an LP member said that the 2013 polls would be a good year to truly practice a “clean campaigning” by not resorting to vote-buying.

Opposition Councilor Romeo Villarante, who leads the LP faction in the city, told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday that although they may expect less to nothing financial support from their national counterparts, they plan to hold their campaign using President Benigno Aquino III’s principle of “matuwid na daan.”

Villarante issued the statement after Davide announced that the local candidates are expected to shell out their own money during the campaign period.

Aquino had said that his administration will not use government resources to campaign for their candidates in 2013.

Courtesy call

At the Provincial Capitol, PB Member Miguel Antonio Magpale paid a courtesy call to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday.

Miguel Antonio, former Danao City councilor, took his oath of office as the new PB Member last Wednesday. He replaced the seat vacated by his mother, Agnes Magpale, who assumed the post as vice governor, after the death of vice governor Greg Sanchez.

Miguel Antonio met the governor with a handshake, a hug and kiss on her cheeks.

The young Magpale admitted that there was a brief awkwardness when he talked with Gov. Garcia. Moments later, he felt the warm accommodation of the governor.

He said Gov. Garcia assured him of her support, the same way that the young Magpale also vowed to help the projects of the governor.

Miguel Antonio is a member of the Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (Bakud) party. Recently, Bakud shifted alliances from One Cebu to LP.

Miguel Antonio will seek a Provincial Board seat in the next year’s elections, while his mother will run against One Cebu vice gubernatorial aspirant Ramon “Boboy” Durano IV.