Sunday, February 18, 2007
Party overrides family ties: Pichay picks Cuenco over nephew Guardo
SENATORIAL candidate Prospero Pichay yesterday raised the hand of Rep. Antonio Cuenco to show his “strong support” for the Cebu City south district congressman over his nephew, businessman Jonathan Guardo.
Guardo earlier said that Pichay, his mother’s third-degree cousin, picked him over Cuenco. Guardo confirmed that his mother, a Surigao del Sur municipal mayor, is a strong backer of the congressman.
But in a press conference, Pichay said that as an administration party member, he is obliged to support Cuenco, though the latter has not asked for it yet.
“When I joined politics in 1998, I started with Lakas-CMD. As a principled man, I will stick it out with the party. Because of that, I will naturally support the party’s bets,” he said in Cebuano.
He said Cuenco is one of the “most respected” members of the House of Representatives and a “brilliant and experienced lawmaker.”
“There is no substitute for experience and brilliance to represent a district,” Pichay said, admitting that when he was a neophyte legislator, he always consulted Cuenco.
If Cuenco wants him to join campaign sorties and be in the same stage with him, Pichay said he will gladly do it.
“In politics, there are no relatives and friends. If you are on the other side, you are on the other side. That is where I stand. I am for principled politics,” he said.
In a separate interview, Guardo merely shrugged off Pichay’s pronouncement, saying it was just meant as a public pronouncement.
He said he already has an agreement with his uncle, whose candidacy he will support.
“Cuenco should not rely on that kay basin masulod ra siya sa taro (He might get junked instead). Blood is thicker than water,” he said.
He said that his supporters are even distributing Pichay’s posters and pocket calendars in the south district.
Guardo said Pichay needs all help he can get, and his uncle could use that of administration ally Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOKP), which “could deliver the votes” for Pichay.
“Like in my case, where several BOPK members are on my side even when I am running against Cuenco, a BOPK stalwart,” he added.
Pichay said he has tried dissuading Guardo, but the latter is bent on challenging Cuenco in the May 14 elections.
“Many times I tried talking him out of it, but he will not change his mind. So I reminded him that the opposition has no place here in Cebu,” he said.
Pichay invited Cuenco to the press conference after a reporter told him that Guardo, in a text message, said his pledge of support for Cuenco is “only for public consumption.”
Cuenco thanked Pichay for the vote of confidence, and said that he, too, is obliged to support him.
“I hope he will keep his word,” Cuenco said.
If elected, Pichay said he will work on improving the agriculture sector. He also said that as House committee on defense chairman, he was able to raise the salaries of soldiers, who lobbied for the Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel services budget increase. (EOB/RHM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 18, 2007 issue)
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