Although his first degree cousin, PB Member Carmiano Kintanar, is running for Congress, Oliveros will be supporting the candidacy of former Cebu governor Pablo “Pabling” Garcia, who is seeking the second congressional district seat as Carmiano.
Oliveros, however, is running as independent although he will campaign for the former governor and Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who will run for another three-year term.
The main reason that he is running is Pabling’s decision to seek the congressional seat.
“With Nong Pabling’s decision to run, it occurred to me that this could be an opportunity to serve the district in whatever capacity under the combined exemplary leadership of Gov. Gwen and Nong Pabling,” Oliveros said in a press statement.
“I opted to run as independent because I was uncertain if I will be welcome if I ask to be in their lineup. Besides, some commitments might have already been finalized and my entry might only be an obstacle to that commitment, which is unfair to those concerned,” he added.
Oliveros ran for Congress twice and lost: once against former congressman Crisologo Abines and then against Rep. Simeon Kintanar.
So far, no other official has expressed intention to run for PB in the second district.
But Dalaguete Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante and Argao Mayor Wilfredo Caminero, who are both on their last term, admitted it is an option.
Caminero had said he is willing to run under Garcia’s lineup if asked. Cesante, meanwhile, has apparently been eased out of Garcia’s group after Garcia said she is no longer supporting the mayors’ league president.
Meanwhile, Comelec Provincial Supervisor Edwin Cadungog said there is no more time to implement the planned automation for this May’s elections.
While there is the question of the lack of training among poll personnel, there are no equipment for it in the first place, he said.
Even the law that mandates the full automation of elections in 2010 provides for six months of training for Comelec personnel, Cadungog added.
Cebu would have been one of the pilot areas in the country for the poll automation.
But Cadungog said the Supreme Court decision nullifying the contract would mean the government must return the purchased equipment and for the contractor to return the money, so the government could not used the machines. (JPM)
