Friday, March 23, 2007 Wenceslao: Cris Saavedra, Tom O and Tingting By Bong O. Wenceslao Candid Thoughts
I HAVEN’T met personally businessman Crisologo Saavedra but there were instances in the past when we talked on the phone. Those “instances” were, of course, before he got pushed into the limelight because of the Asean summit surveillance camera and decorative lampposts controversies. Now he is popular and seemingly everywhere.
Saavedra is a passionate and determined man---that was what I reckoned from the way he spoke with me on the phone. My problem with him then was that while the issues he brought up (involving some officials of the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority) were legitimate, I found it difficult to dissociate it from his personal interest.
Saavedra’s criticisms were almost always against officials that bid out projects wherein he was one of the bidders and lost. While I agree that there are often anomalies in government-initiated biddings, I would have preferred a non-participant in the process to expose these. Thus, while I admire his efforts in the lampposts issue, I am cautious.
***
I am not surprised that Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is now pushing for the suspension of Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano while investigation on the deco lampposts issue is going on. Didn’t he say earlier that he will give “technical assistance” to the candidacy of Jonas Cortes for mayor of Mandaue against Ouano’s son Jonkie?
What more “assistance” would Cortes want than ensuring that Teddy won’t be able to use his post in propping up the candidacy of his son? I therefore won’t blame Ouano if he feels that the filing of a plunder case against him was politically motivated. With the plunder case, lobbying for Ouano’s suspension would be easier, wouldn’t it?
Cortes has the support of the Quisumbings, whose patriarch Norberto is being harassed by Ouano. During Cebu City’s charter day rites, Osmeña conferred on Norberto an adopted son award. Osmeña’s supporting Cortes and the congressional bid Luigi Quisumbing can thus be considered a continuation of this sipsip operation.
***
So one of my favorite politicians has been bitten by the “running” bug again? Unfortunately, I am not from the sixth district, meaning I can’t vote for former governor Vicente “Tingting” de la Serna, who has announced his availability for the congressional post there. He will be running against Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz and Luigi Quisumbing.
I won’t dwell on chances because I don’t know the voters’ temperament in the district but Soon-Ruiz seems to have the advantage being the incumbent. In terms of eccentricity and idealism, however, Tingting will win hands down. I was with the Capitol beat when he was governor and observed him up close as a politician and as a person.
But I still believe Tingting is a better fit for Cebu City mayor against Tomas Osmeña---it’s just that he is registered in Mandaue City. A de la Serna-Osmeña fight would surely have been like a Manny Pacquiao-Erik Morales bout. Anyway, an election with de la Serna in the mix, even if it is in the sixth district, will still be exciting.
TEXTREAX. I acknowledge receipt of messages from texters 0906-8296698 and Dominico Moneva offering additional information on the Manunggal trek and the death of president Ramon Magsaysay. I will be getting in touch if I have the time. Thanks.
