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Thursday, February 12, 2004
Crowd protests Kintanar defection
By Linette C. Ramos/Gingging A. Campaña
CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña will leave to his newfound ally, Councilor Vicente “June” Kintanar Jr., to decide what role he wants to take in the May 10 polls.
Without a particular role in mind, Kintanar said he will just help in the campaign and do anything to help in the development of Cebu City.
“I will have to dovetail my plans with the mayor’s plans so that we will have one direction. Definitely, I’ll do anything that will help him develop the city,” he told reporters yesterday.
However, Kintanar’s shift to the administration party Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) did not sit well with some people.
About 20 urban poor residents from the north district marched to City Hall and picketed in front of the building in time for the council session at 3 p.m.
Unlike previous protests in front of City Hall, no one from the group spoke through a megaphone. They did not make any noise either. Each of them just held yellow and white placards denouncing Kintanar’s defection to the BO-PK and calling for his resignation.
Written on the placards were “June Kintanar resign! Mao diay nga nihilom kay ni-enter naman; Ni-enter diay tungod sa pundo ni Karla (Kintanar’s daughter who is running for vice mayor in Argao town); June Kintanar political prostitute; June Kintanar political gigolo.”
The group, who said they are housewives, laborers and out-of-school youths from Barangays Mabolo, Carreta and Hipodromo, called themselves “Kusug diehards.”
Interviewed separately by reporters, the picketers each said no one ordered or paid them to hold the “silent protest.”
They also denied that they are the supporters of Kusug candidate for councilor Edward Ligas. Ligas is known for leading sidewalk vendors in the North Reclamation Area to protest rallies.
“We did this on our own because we really felt bad that he suddenly abandoned us,” Arturo Bañares of Barangay Carreta said.
Kintanar, who was interviewed during the recess from the session, said he is “challenging the politician behind the rally to a debate with him.”
For the first time since he defected to the BO-PK, Kintanar met with Osmeña in the latter’s office yesterday morning. They discussed the development of Kawit Island, the mayor’s pet project.
Osmeña also formally announced that Kintanar is now with BO-PK.
In a press conference last Tuesday, Kintanar said he is bolting former mayor Alvin Garcia’s Kugi Uswag Subgo (Kusug) because of the latter’s decision to support presidential bet Fernando Poe Jr.
Kintanar said that yesterday’s meeting was “a reunion of old friends and not a meeting of strangers” since the Osmeñas have been his supporters during the early years of his political career.
When asked what the councilor can do for BO-PK, Osmeña said he will not ask for anything else from Kintanar because his defection to his party and his support are already sufficient contributions to the party.
“With his years of experience in governance, he can contribute his views because the mayor, from where he stands, he can only see one side of things. He can suggest what role he wants to play for BO-PK,” he said.
Osmeña added that he is overwhelmed because after 16 years of rivalry, there is now a chance for them to work together and for their leadership abilities to be enhanced.
(February 12, 2004 issue)
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