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Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Former mayor fit; Oro councilor met with hostility
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
LOCAL opposition group revealed Monday they won't be lifting any finger to block Cagayan de Oro Mayor Vicente Emano's move to run for governor in the Province of Misamis Oriental in the 2007 elections and come head to head with incumbent Governor Oscar Moreno.
This developed as former city councilor Dr. Bob Ocio is vehemently opposing the entry of incumbent City Councilor Alvin Calingin who just jumped ship from Emano's Padayon Pilipino political party to Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr.'s PDP-Laban camp for the 2007 Local Elections.
Reports revealed that former three-term Cagayan de Oro city mayor Pablo Magtajas never underwent a cardiovascular stroke and that the latter is "as ever 99.9 percent sure of running for mayor."
Also, Magtajas is seen to lock horns with Emano's son and currently Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental Mayor Yevgeny Emano or even sitting Cagayan de Oro city Representative Constantino Jaraula.
Former city vice mayor and 2004 mayoralty bet lawyer Antonio Soriano said the opposition group would not block any moves should Emano, who served as provincial governor of Misamis Oriental, decide to make a comeback.
"Good riddance to him (Emano). We encourage him to return to the province so that Emano would become Governor Moreno's problem)," he said.
"But for sure Emano would be butchered by Moreno should he return to the province. Emano will taste a resounding defeat this time on the hands of Moreno who has done quite well for the province," Soriano added.
Sick
Moreno, for his part, would rather not talk about politics as yet.
A close friend of Emano who requested anonymity said the mayor and Moreno who served for two-terms as congressman of the first district "could work things out."
"Moreno and Emano can be a formidable tandem in the 2007 elections for Moreno can return to being a congressman and Emano as provincial governor," he said.
He added that this would mean Moreno clashing head on with former Misamis Oriental vice-governor and sitting First District of Misamis Oriental Representative Danilo Lagbas who is serving his first term while Emano would be squaring off with third-term Second District of Misamis Oriental Congressman Augusto Baculio, Jr.
But Soriano said, "Emano is no more they are already sick of him."
Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro failed to reach Lagbas and Baculio for their comments as of press time.
Emano has never categorically rejected plans to run as governor for the province again.
In the 2004 elections, Emano turned his back from then provincial governor and close ally Antonio Calingin citing numerous graft and corruption cases and instead campaigned for Moreno.
Corruption
But recently Emano is making statements that he would announce his political plans next month
He was even acknowledging that he must resign as mayor of Cagayan de Oro just to obtain residency in the province. As he comes from Tagoloan, Emano can either opt to run as mayor of that town.
Meanwhile, Ocio said that he would be vehemently blocking Calingin's entry to their party.
"PDP-Laban thinking of (Alvin) Calingin as candidate is unthinkable. How can a principal in a corruption case be a candidate of the opposition? Alvin should better leave for the US before he gets a hold order as soon as his case is filed by the Ombudsman at the Sandiganbayan," he said.
"The enemy is corruption and its not because Alvin is enemy of Dongkoy that he is PDP-Laban bet unless we in the PDP-Laban have selective amnesia," he added.
Ocio said even Magtajas reminded the PDP-Laban of "pseudo opposition and spies." "Alvin falls into that category," he said.
Earlier, Calingin announced that he has severed ties with Emano while reports revealed that he is gunning for congressman with the opposition camp.
But Calingin for his part described Ocio's comments as "too emotional."
"Its Christmas not time to discuss politics," he said, adding that all should unite for the city.
Opposition city councilor Zaldy Ocon said, "No comment but Alvin and I will go together."
(December 20, 2005 issue)
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