Thursday, February 01, 2007 Ex-allies Mondigo, Ramirez vie for Medellin
IT WILL be a battle between long-time allies in Medellin, northern Cebu, where Vice Mayor Ricardo Ramirez III and Provincial Board (PB) Member Joven Mondigo will face each other for the mayoral race.
Mayor Manreza Lim, who is on her last term, will slide down for vice mayor to be Mondigo’s running mate, while Councilor Michael Miranda, who used to sit at the PB, will team up with Ramirez.
All four used to be under the leadership of former congressman Celestino Martinez Jr., the recognized political leader of the fourth district, where Medellin belongs.
Ramirez, who is on his last term, said he was groomed by Martinez’s group for the mayor’s seat and is only following “the tradition that has long been established,” which is for the group to automatically endorse the vice mayor when the mayor’s three terms are over.
He also said he is “comfortable” with the number of barangay captains who are supporting his candidacy. The two leaders have split the council in half.
Mondigo, on the other hand, has left Martinez’s camp to join Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s One Cebu party.
The board member admitted that the current situation for May’s elections has affected the more than a decade-long friendship that he had with Ramirez.
Mondigo has been in politics since 1980, previously served over a decade as mayor of Medellin. In 1988, he ran and won as an independent candidate.
This is not the first time that he is running against the camp of Martinez, who controls the district.
“Mas grabe pa to sa una, kay wa pa ko ka establish ug record (It was a lot tougher before, when I had yet to establish a record),” said Mondigo.
Mondigo admitted that aside from the district’s leaders, most of the barangay captains are also supporting Ramirez. But he is banking on the support of the governor, Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez and the masses, where he said he gets his strength.
Ramirez, however, said: “Barangay captains will not be barangay captains if the masses are not with them.” (JPM)
