Wednesday, March 21, 2007 Confusing: Lakas names Jonkie official bet
AS IF the political affiliations of the candidates in Mandaue City are not confusing enough, mayoral aspirant Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano is now officially endorsed by Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) as its official candidate for mayor in this year’s elections.
Party president and House Speaker Jose de Venecia and Lakas secretary-general Marcelino Libanan signed the certificate last March 16.
Ouano’s rival for the mayoral post, City Councilor Jonas Cortes, is also with Lakas.
Cortes’ slate even took their oath before Lakas provincial chairman Celestino Martinez Jr. two weeks ago.
“I don’t know with them,” Ouano told Sun.Star Cebu.
Sought for comment, Cortes said he will leave the matter up to Provincial Board Member Gabriel Luis Quisumbing, Lakas chairman for the sixth district.
“They have money. It’s a big factor but voters in Mandaue are intelligent,” Cortes told Sun.Star Cebu in a separate interview.
He said he would rather concentrate on the local scene.
Cortes has put up Bangon Mandaue, his group that will face Ouano’s Power Team 4.
Cortes was part of the earlier batches of Power Team when he was still allied with the Ouanos during the 2001 and 2004 elections.
Last January, he bolted the group and announced he will run for mayor.
In a separate interview, Lakas spokesperson for the Visayas Elberto Emphasis told Sun.Star Cebu that Ouano’s certificate of nomination should not be a problem for Cortes.
“That’s the least of their worries because their true party is PQ—Partido Quisumbing,” Emphasis said.
Ouano refused to issue further comments, saying the certificate of nomination already says it all.
He said he also has the endorsement of President Arroyo.
Cortes commented that while Ouano is with Lakas, his father, Mayor Thadeo “Teddy” Ouano is with Kampi.
Lakas and Kampi of President Arroyo are coalesced under Team Unity.
Cortes said it only shows that the Ouanos are not giving their “all-out” support because they are “riding on two horses.”
Meanwhile, a survey by second year political science students of the University of San Carlos (USC) showed that more Mandauehanons prefer Jonkie over Cortes.
With about 4,000 respondents, the survey found that 1,864 chose Jonkie while about 1,520 were for Cortes.
About 302 were for Vice Mayor Amadeo Seno Jr. while 314 were undecided.
The results of the survey, which was a class project under USC political science teacher Ricky Poca, were presented in yesterday’s 888 Media Forum at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel.
More than half of the respondents in the survey conducted between March 1 and 16 were between 18 and 40 years old.
The race for vice mayor also showed results in favor of Jonkie’s running mate, Councilor Carlo Pontico Fortuna, who was chosen by about 1,845 respondents.
Cortes’ running mate, Councilor Glenn Bercede, had about 1,500.
About 655 respondents were undecided.
Jonkie welcomed the results, saying it is encouraging.
“Our efforts have not gone to waste,” he said.
Cortes, however, sees no problem with the survey results, saying it will even be useful data for him.
“My mindset is that I need to work double-time in the barangays,” he said.
In a separate interview, Seno said he also expected the result.
He said not everybody knows he is running for mayor and that many things could still happen during the campaign period.
Seno, who is running as an independent candidate, also said there have been rumors that he will withdraw from the mayoral race.
“That’s impossible. Why would I do that?” he said. (AAG)
