Thursday, February 19, 2004
Guvnor, Gwen hope to keep support of Ted
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez Sun.Star Staff Reporter
With Rose O. Versoza & Aledel Gonzalez-Cuizon
CEBU Gov. Pablo Garcia and gubernatorial candidate Gwendolyn Garcia assured former Mandaue City mayor Alfredo “Pedong” Ouano yesterday that they respect his decision to support Vice Gov. John “John-john” Osmeña instead.
“He is a dear, dear friend of mine. I respect his opinion. (But) I hope he will change his mind if it’s true (that he will support John-john) as reported. Whatever happens, he’s still my friend and compadre,” the governor told reporters yesterday.
Despite the former mayor’s change of heart, the governor and Gwen said Pedong’s daughter, Joy Ouano, remains their candidate for the congressional seat in the sixth district.
Joy Ouano sits in the Mandaue City Council as president of the Association of Barangay Captains. Her father’s announcement came on the heels of John-john’s declaration that he will support Joy, not Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz, in the sixth district.
But Joy’s brother, Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo “Teddy” Ouano, will support Gwendolyn, not John-john, in the race for Cebu governor.
With this support, Gwendolyn said she is “comfortable” with her standing in the district, where she claims to have an “overwhelming lead” over the other candidates, according to the surveys they commissioned.
“Ang politika lumalabay ra. Ang akong pagtamud ug akong pagmahal kang Ingko Pedong magpadayon gihapon, sama usab sa akong amahan, kay pareho silang institusyon sa politika. Sabton nako si Ingko Pedong kay anak pud ko sa akong amahan,” she told reporters.
(Politics is fleeting. But I will continue to respect and admire Ingko Pedong, who is an institution, like my father. I understand that Ingko Pedong wants to support his daughter, the way my father supports me.)
Not final
Governor Garcia, for his part, said there could still be a lot of changes as election day nears.
“I’m not slighted (with Pedong’s decision). Usahay gud ning politika duna ma’y appearances. But behind those appearances lie something else. Things are not really what they seem,” he added.
He pointed out that Sen. John “Sonny” Osmeña even withdrew his support for gubernatorial candidate Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr. and instead went for his son, John-john, whom he earlier said was not yet ready for the position.
Pedong Ouano himself prodded Gwendolyn to run for governor last year.
It was his encouragement that led Gwendolyn to announce, during Pedong’s birthday party, that she would run for governor.
Ouano, a veteran of Mandaue City politics, said his change of heart will affect neither his friendship with the governor nor his ties with his son.
“Nganong malibog man mo? Isig paninguha lang makadaog,” Pedong told reporters yesterday. (Why should you be confused? We’ll just work hard and see who wins.)
Captains
The elder Ouano admitted that with his son Mayor Ouano’s support, Gwendolyn is likely to win in Mandaue City.
“Ayaw lang mi but-i kay demokrasya man ni,” he added. (Don’t tell us what to do.)
Joy and Teddy also both said they see no conflict, despite the different political choices in the family.
But barangay captains of Mandaue City are now “torn between two lovers,” as the mayor and his father support different gubernatorial bets.
Basak Barangay Captain Marcelino Alivio said the conflict led the barangay captains to a compromise: they will support whoever President Arroyo chooses as the party’s gubernatorial candidate in Cebu.
But Alivio and Barangay Ibabao-Estancia Captain Alfredo “Fredo” Ouano (not the former mayor) pointed out that should Arroyo not declare any official candidate and, instead, leave Cebu as a free zone, the barangay captains will support whoever Teddy will support for governor.
Except for Labogon Barangay Captain Damaso Tumulak and Joy Ouano, who is Opao barangay captain, all the village chiefs of Mandaue City were determined to support the gubernatorial bid of Gwendolyn—until Pedong asked them about two weeks ago to support John-john instead.
The change so surprised the barangay captains that they took it up during their monthly meeting with Teddy and Pedong last Feb. 2.
(February 19, 2004 issue)
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