Saturday, January 20, 2007 VM Seno sets sights on mayorship of Mandaue By Aledel G. Cuizon Sun.Star Staff Reporter
MANDAUE City Vice Mayor Amadeo Seno Jr. is joining the mayoral race this year, his third attempt to become the city’s chief executive.
Without mentioning the members of his lineup, Seno said he is bent on running for mayor so he can execute the plans that he couldn’t implement as vice mayor.
“There is always the desire to implement plans for Mandaue City,” Seno told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.
After attending the Translacion mass at the National Shrine of St. Joseph yesterday morning, Seno told Mayor Thadeo “Teddy” Ouano and some councilors at City Hall of his political plans.
Seno said he chose to tell the mayor first out of courtesy, because they have been partners as mayor and vice mayor for three terms.
Seno said that his vice mayor would either be Councilors Jonas Cortes or Glenn Bercede.
“Alegre kaayo ni ron (This is going to be exciting),” added Seno, who will face off with Ouano’s son, Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” in the polls this May.
Jonkie and his party mates, however, will also choose between Cortes and Bercede for vice mayor.
But a reliable source told Sun.Star yesterday that Cortes and Bercede are already bent on running for mayor and vice mayor, respectively.
The source said that Cortes and Bercede already have at least 15 barangay captains on their side.
About five village chiefs are reportedly running for councilors under their party.
Bercede, however, refused to comment while Cortes could not be reached.
Seno said that among the plans he wants to implement is the improvement of tax collection.
He believes that there is no need to raise taxes in the City.
He also likes to continue the projects of the present administration, which he stresses that he is still a part of.
Other priorities include education programs and the opening of roads.
Seno and Teddy sat beside each other when they attended the Translacion mass yesterday morning.
Upon arriving at City Hall after the mass, Seno then revealed his political plans to the mayor.
“This is just a friendly fight,” Seno said.
He believes he has a better chance this time after he served the City for three terms as vice mayor.
Seno assured that the announcement of his plan to run for mayor will not affect the relation between the executive and legislative branches of the City Government.
As long as everything is in order, there will be no need to block or question any matter brought to the City Council, he said.
Teddy, for his part, said that Seno’s approach was “straightforward.”
The mayor said he couldn’t blame Seno because the latter is already on his third term as vice mayor.
However, the mayor said he would still have wanted their group, Power Team, to stay as one.
Jonkie, through publicist Jonjie Gonzales, told Sun.Star that he appreciates Seno’s move of informing his father about his bid for mayor.
He reiterated that anyone is welcome to run for mayor in Mandaue City. (AAG)
