Saturday, February 03, 2007 They are lawyer Vic Biaño and Bry. Captain Domasian By Aledel Gonzalez-Cuizon Sun.Star Staff Reporter
AN erstwhile staunch critic of the administration and a retired employee of the Norkis Trading Corp. has completed the slate of candidates for councilor under the party of mayoral aspirant Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano in Mandaue City.
Lawyer Victor Biaño and Cambaro Barangay Captain Vicente Domasian Jr. were presented yesterday as the recent additions to Ouano’s Power Team 4.
Domasian used to be the chief security and safety officer of Norkis, which owned by the Quisumbings, who the Ouanos are at odds with over a piece of property in Barangay Looc.
The inclusion of Biaño as one of the candidates for councilor shows that there really are no permanent enemies in politics.
Biaño said yesterday that former mayor Alfredo “Pedong” Ouano called him last Jan. 22 and asked him of his political plans.
Biaño admitted that he has raised issues against the Ouano camp before but the public “didn’t listen” and instead voted Mayor Thadeo “Teddy” Ouano into office for three terms.
One of the issues he raised before was the employment of Ouano family members at City Hall, but Biaño said this is happening too all over the country.
For his part, Domasian said he is sacrificing his retirement plans for the sake of serving the public.
He said that he already retired from his job at Norkis, which he served for 17 years, and was invited by Ouano last Wednesday to join Jonkie’s lineup.
Domasian revealed that Councilor Jonas Cortes, who will be running against Jonkie, also invited him to join his party but Domasian opted to join the Ouano camp.
Cortes, however, denied inviting Domasian to his group, saying he didn’t make invitations to anyone at all.
“Everybody is free to join the group. This is not by invitation,” he said in a separate interview yesterday.
Biaño and Domasian will now be running together with Ibabao-Estancia Barangay Captain Alfredo Ouano (not the former mayor), Tabok Barangay Captain Emiliano Rosal, Looc Barangay Captain Editha Cabahug, incumbent Councilor Procopio Villanueva and newcomers Noeleen Borbajo, Jefferson Ceniza, Beethoven Andaya and Alfonso Albaño Jr.
Former city councilor Noel Soon was earlier included in the lineup but Jonkie said yesterday that he might be considered as the party’s bet for the provincial board (PB) member, together with incumbent PB Member Victor Maambong.
Jonkie said the group is still choosing between Soon and Councilor Wenceslao Gakit, who is now on his last term.
Biaño, who served as city administrator under the term of Pedong, said yesterday that his decision to leave the Ouanos came after the party didn’t choose him as candidate for councilor for the 1998 elections.
Biaño lost when he ran for councilor in 1998, vice mayor in 2001 and representative of the sixth district in 2004.
He said that he chose to keep quiet for some time now and he has acknowledged the City’s development under the Ouano administration.
Asked to comment about Biaño’s comeback, Teddy said, in a separate interview, that he is glad about the development.
“He is the man who saw the light at the end of the tunnel,” the mayor said.
Domasian, for his part, said he initially had no intentions of running for public office.
He planned to retire from Norkis last year but he just extended his services.
He finally submitted a letter of resignation last Jan. 30 and incidentally received a call from Teddy, who asked him if he would like to run for councilor under Jonkie’s group.
Domasian said he wasn’t able to refuse it because he also wanted to serve not only his barangay but the entire city as well.
He expressed his apologies to Cortes, who was the first one to make him an offer.
He said he still respects the owners of Norkis who treated him well over the years.
