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Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Nalzaro: Gabby in Talisay
By Bobby Nalzaro
The much-awaited electoral battle between Talisay City Mayor Socrates “Soc” Fernandez and Cebu City North District Councilor Gabriel “Gabby” Leyson is actually but a sideshow to the continuing political feud of their political benefactors, First District Rep. Eduardo Gullas and Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
Fernandez is a known political ally of Gullas while Leyson has long been a stalwart of Osmeña's Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan.
I suspect Osmeña is the one pushing Leyson to run for mayor of Talisay. The reason? Because of the controversial South Reclamation Project (SRP). Tomas apparently feels there will no longer be any hindrance to the effort to sell SRP to prospective buyers once Leyson wins. After all, he can control Gabby.
Osmeña considers Talisay City officials, majority of whom are Gullas’ allies, as obstacles to the marketing of the multi-billion-peso SRP because of their claim that a part of it is within Talisay's terrorial jurisdiction.
The two political giants, Gullas and Osmeña, traded insults in the media on Talisay’s claim. As a result, some innocent people were caught in the political crossfire.
Osmeña drove away Talisaynons who were earning a living vending in Cebu City's markets. He also closed the South Coastal Road that traverses the 300-hectare SRP, inconveniencing motorists. However, after members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu City chapter decided to go to court, he was forced to reopen the road.
I cannot imagine Leyson, even though he is a millionaire, throwing his fortunes into the political arena in Talisay without him having an agenda. Public service? That's hogwash.
Leyson knows that Fernandez is a formidable opponent considering the number of his Catholic supporters in the city. Fernandez, known as “Brod Soc,” is a staunch defender of the Roman Catholic faith.
Admittedly, we cannot question Leyson’s decision to run for mayor in a neighboring city. But Talisay voters are not that foolish to elect an outsider for mayor.
Leyson's case is different from that of Gullas when he ran for mayor in the 2001 elections against Fernandez. Gullas, a resident of Cebu City but who is a registered voter of Minglanilla, is not a stranger to Talisay.
Gullas has been representing the first district---where Talisay belongs---in Congress for the past several decades. He has delivered on his promise to attend to the basic needs of his constituents and has performed well in the halls of Congress. That's why he won in the race for Talisay mayor several years ago.
Leyson, on the other hand, is just starting to organize his political network and only has a few public service endeavors, like the holding of dental and medical missions, to his credit. Meaning, winning as mayor of Talisay will be a tall order for him.
Anyway, let us see. For as they always say in basketball, the ball is round.
(bgnalzaro@gmanetwork.com/0918-2198333)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 9, 2006 issue)
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