Saturday, February 24, 2007
Alvin can’t say yet if he’ll face Tomas anew
THE Cebu City opposition is pressuring former mayor Alvin Garcia to run again after former congressman Jose “Dodong” Gullas announced last Wednesday that he will not challenge Mayor Tomas Osmeña in the May elections.
Garcia is expected to announce his plan on Tuesday next week.
If he changes his mind, Garcia can count on a more vigilant set of watchers to guard his votes in the south district because congressional aspirant Jonathan Guardo is going to double the number of their poll watchers by hiring around 9,600 of them.
Guardo said that when before Garcia employed only three watchers taking shifts, he will hire at least six for each of the 1,600 precincts.
“His concern is that he was cheated. Wala ko kabantay ana kay wa pa man ta sa pulitika,” he said.
Guardo said they are egging Garcia to run again and set aside his condition that he will reconsider only if the elections are computerized.
“I’m positive that we can convince him. The computerization of the elections will take long. Many are running for public office, which means they still have trust in the system,” he said.
GO party regional chairman Ernesto Herrera, Guardo and opposition stalwarts met last night to come up with a long list of possible candidates.
Eyed for the north district are former City Councilor Carmen Piramide, her husband Aveniscio; Barangay Captains Mary Ann delos Santos and Joel Garganera; basketball icon Ramon Fernandez; lawyer Fritz Quiñanola and Dr. Potenciano “Yong’ Larra-zabal III.
For the south district, Guardo said lawyers Joy Caballes and Salvador Solima; barangay captains Danilo Lim and Jose Navarro; and former city councilor Eugenio Gabuya are being considered.
Yesterday, Guardo said they are also courting City Councilor Arsenio Pacaña to seek for his third and last term under the GO Party banner.
The Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) is allegedly junking Pacaña from its lineup.
In an interview, Pacaña said he will stick it out with BOPK whether or not he will be in its line-up.
He said he already asked Osmeña about the rumors, but the mayor assured him that he will be among those the BOPK is fielding in the elections.
Guardo is challenging south district congressman Antonio Cuenco this May. The congressman accused him of being bankrolled by druglords.
When asked if he is not worried that by hiring more watchers, the allegation could surface again, the sports patron merely shrugged it off.
“Herbal drug lord siguro. I don’t want to entertain that anymore. I have been successful in my food supplement business. Pasagdan na lang na nako,” he said. (RHM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 24, 2007 issue)
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