Wednesday, February 28, 2007 Moreno gets Lakas nod, Uy claims Erap's okay By Lizanilla J. Amarga
FORMER President Joseph "Erap" Estrada recently accepted and raised arms in support for PaDayon Pilipino political lieutenant Vice Governor Julio Uy into his Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) fold and the United Opposition (UNO).
PaDayon Pilipino titular head City Mayor Vicente Emano announced that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is endorsing Lakas party-Misamis Oriental chairman and incumbent Governor Oscar Moreno as the administration coalition's gubernatorial bet for the May 2007 poll race.
But administration-coalesced political party Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino (Kampi) regional head and Misamis Oriental 2nd District Representative Augusto Baculio Jr. said the setting is not yet definite.
Emano also made a declaration that he would not be fielding a mayoral bet in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, should his nephew Richard Emano decide not to run against his father, Paulino Emano.
In an interview with Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro Tuesday, Uy confirmed that he went to Estrada's residence last February 18 and was formally accepted by Estrada as part of PMP and the UNO.
He said this was even done in the presence of several other opposition leaders all over the country, including San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada, Lawyer Rufus Rodriguez and his brother Maxi Rodriguez.
"Mismo si Pres. Erap ang nag-taas sa akong kamot isip iyang pagdawat ug pag-endorsar kanako (No less that Pres. Erap himself raised my hand to manifest his acceptance and endorsement)," he said.
However, Uy clarified that his move to join Estrada and the united opposition is made on his own volition.
He said he is fully aware of how the PaDayon Pilipino political party in Cagayan de Oro City led by Emano has long declared their "strong support and loyalty" to the administration of Arroyo.
"This is my own decision, and now that I am with the opposition I am now studying my next move," he said, adding this may include forming a "credible slate."
Earlier, Emano admitted that he was the one who went to visit Estrada and gave Uy's name to the former President and his son JV.
The PaDayon Pilipino founder alleged that he was not exactly endorsing Uy to Estrada but only informed him that the vice governor is willing to join the opposition.
In a related development, Emano said he and Arroyo discussed the power struggles between administration-coalesced political parties in Misamis Oriental.
He claimed that Arroyo has declared that it would be Moreno who would be representing the administration's coalition of political parties in the province.
"Because there is such a thing as equity of the incumbent," he said.
The equity of the incumbent is usually a doctrine referred to as giving an incumbent official the first priority in terms of support should the latter seek out the same post in an upcoming poll race.
But Baculio, for his part, said the announcement that Arroyo and the national administration coalition will be supporting Moreno is not exactly true.
For him, such an announcement is merely 'propaganda' to build up Moreno and put him down.
"Wala man kana (That is not true)," he said.
Emano said he has nothing to gain by making the announcement that Arroyo is supporting Moreno and not Baculio as the administration's gubernatorial bid.
"It won't in any way hurt me by making that announcement, as I am neither a member of Lakas nor with Kampi," he said.
However, Emano has welcomed all those public officials who have expressed support in favor of his son third-term Tagoloan Mayor Yevgeny "Bambi" Emano who is running for congressman for the Second District of Misamis Oriental.
Moreno has so far declared his support for Mayor Bambi, the president of the League of Mayors in the Philippines in Misamis Oriental (LMP-MisOr), as the most qualified to be the next representative in Congress of this district.
Mayor Bambi would be butting heads with Baculio's son, Rex, and former Misamis Oriental Governor Antonio Calingin's son, Andy, who is running under another administration-coalesced political party, the National People's Coalition.
