Tuesday, January 30, 2007 Emano seeks Erap aid for vice-guv By Lizanilla J. Amarga
CAGAYAN DE ORO Mayor Vicente Emano recently revealed plans that he would be asking former President Joseph Estrada and his Partido ng Masang Pilipino to help out Misamis Oriental Vice Governor Julio Uy as an opposition bet in the province this coming May 14 poll race.
Emano is PaDayon Pilipino's titular head. Uy is PaDayon Pilipino's treasurer.
Uy confirmed and lauded Emano's move and reveals the possibility of a coalition between PaDayon Pilipino and the United Opposition (UNO).
Local administration Lakas party leader Governor Oscar Moreno who believes that the coalition between PaDayon Pilipino and Lakas should be "maintained" in this May 2007 elections as it did in the May 2004 elections took a hands-off policy.
"That's the decision of PaDayon Pilipino and I do not want to interfere in their decision process," he told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro Monday.
Uy expressed sentiments that it would be very difficult for him to run as "independent vice-governor" under the PaDayon Pilipino political party as suggested by Emano.
Moreno is seeking re-election while Uy has earlier "offered" himself as an "alternative" gubernatorial candidate against the incumbent governor.
Representative Augusto Baculio Jr. (2nd district, Misamis Oriental) is also eyeing the same topmost seat of the province together with Moreno and Uy in this year's May 14 polls.
Serving two masters
During his Mayor's Move radio program, Emano said he would soon be going to Manila and would be making a stopover at the residence of his long-time friend Estrada.
He said he would then be asking Estrada to look into the possibility of endorsing Uy as an opposition bet.
"But I cannot promise as to whether he (Estrada) would agree to this arrangement," he said.
Emano also clarified that this would not mean that he would be serving two masters -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Lakas and Estrada's Partido ng Masa -- at the same time.
He said this as he recounted how he actually asked Estrada for his permission before jumping off to Arroyo's camp.
Meanwhile, Uy told local media practitioners Monday that he heard Emano over the same radio program last Saturday regarding the move to endorse him to Estrada for support.
He said there indeed exist a high possibility that the former President would concede to Emano's request.
"As there is no opposition political party in our province all of them are with the administration," he said in a press conference at his office Monday.
Uy was referring to administration political parties Lakas led by Moreno and Representative Danilo Lagbas (1st district, Misamis Oriental), Kampi under Baculio and NPC under the son of former governor Antonio Calingin and Claveria Mayor Rocky Calingin.
No full assurance
The vice governor said should Estrada give his nod to this arrangement, there would somehow exist an alliance with UNO composed of Estrada's Partido ng Masa, Senator Manuel Villar's Nationalista Party, Senator Franklin Drilon's Liberal Party and PDP-Laban of Makati mayor Jejomar Binay.
"But we should first wait for further developments as even Mayor Emano cannot give a full assurance whether the opposition would accept and support us," added Uy.
Nevertheless, Uy said he is not exactly excited over the prospect of running as "independent vice-governor" as suggested by Emano.
He said such a move is a "tall order" on his part considering that he cannot go around the entire province campaigning on his own being an "independent" candidate.
"It is very difficult for me as it would mean campaigning on my own and shaking people's hands on my own," Uy said. "But because the deadline for filing of candidacy is still far and there is still the possibility of the opposition supporting us, so it is best to wait for such further developments."
