|
Thursday, February 19, 2004
Mongaya: Calculated move
By Anol Mongaya
Mandaue City’s kingmaker, Pedong Ouano, is now supporting the gubernatorial bid of Vice Gov. John-john Osmeña because the latter is supporting Joy Ouano, who is running for congress. Pedong was instrumental in convincing his daughter to seek a congressional seat to avert a confrontation with his son, Mayor Teddy Ouano, in Mandaue City. Pedong was also influential in former Capitol consultant Gwen Garcia’s bid for the governorship.
I think this is a calculated move of a skillful veteran like Pedong. Note that this developed after Sen. Sonny Osmeña and Rep. Nerry Soon-Ruiz withdrew their support from former congressman Junie Martinez in John-john’s favor. With the move, there was the possibility John-john would shift his support to Ruiz and drop Joy. Pedong’s maneuver makes it hard for John-john to do so.
But Pedong left Teddy behind with Gwen. This should assure Pablo and Gwen of the sizable pro-Ouano vote in Mandaue City. Meanwhile, he has prevented John-john’s leaders outside Mandaue City from going to Nerry. Neat.
****
The camp of vice gubernatorial bet Greg Sanchez sees Lito Osmeña’s hand in Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s order to close down the Lacto Pafi plant in Cebu City. The move was obviously meant to cripple the source of Greg’s immense logistics in the political campaign. If so, it was a dud.
A source close to Sanchez said they are not worried because they have alternative plants in Minglanilla and Liloan. Because of the order, Tomas now risks the ire of Greg’s formidable media machinery.
This and Osmeña’s cavalier handling of the local media (e.g. the non-payment of City Hall’s P1.7 million debt to local tv and radio stations) may cost him the support of a big chunk of the city’s voters. A whole day dyAB survey the other day, for instance, showed Mayor Alvin Garcia leading Osmeña 154 to 142.
****
In Cebu City, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo may be facing another problem aside from Mayor Osmeña’s vow not to allow Sen. Sonny Osmeña to come up the BO-PK stage. The mayor is now saying he will accept donations from even opposition candidates like Sen. Loren Legarda. The senator has pledged to give t-shirts and umbrellas to workers of barangay health centers and two mini fire trucks to the Association of Barangay Councils.
Thus, BO-PK might also junk vice presidential bet Noli de Castro. This should give Loren’s candidacy a big boost as the local opposition will also be going all out for her.
****
Supporters of Fernando Poe Jr. are mobilizing today because of the disqualification case against him. His vice presidential bet, Loren, in an e-mailed statement, called on the people to pause for a minute of prayer today “so the truth will come out” that FPJ is a natural-born Filipino.
A group in Cebu is also planning to call on the Supreme Court not to be swayed by the administration because disqualification would “disenfranchise” a large number of Filipinos. I received nearly a dozen text messages yesterday calling on the people to go out and pray for FPJ at 10 a.m. today.
I understand that the FPJ campaign has stalled primarily because of the disqualification case. Many potential donors are, for instance, holding back.
****
Aside from his being illegible, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) general manager is also reeling over efforts to provide security for his executive secretary, Ruby Bacolod. Her neighbors filed a complaint over the use of the guard in October. But the contract presented by Bacolod was in November. Who paid the P9,000 for the guard’s October stint? What’s so special with her that she deserved a guard?
The MCIA grapevine is also buzzing with talks of two non-performing employees at the general manager’s office. Somebody else is going around introducing herself as the GM’s personal secretary.
(e-mail: superbalita@ sunstar.com.ph or anol_cebu@hotmail.com; text: 0917-9761193)
(February 19, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
