Monday, April 16, 2007 Mudslinging heats up in Mandaue By Aledel G. Cuizon Sun.Star Staff Reporter
IF A campaign flyer is to be believed, the candidates running against the administration’s Power Team in Mandaue City include a rapist, arsonist, a land-grabber and a witch.
Other allegations against the opposition are printed in a flyer bearing a photo of Power Team mayoral candidate Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano and congressional candidate Nerissa Soon-Ruiz.
Ouano told Sun.Star he personally didn’t have a hand in the preparation of the flyers since his supporters also come out with materials.
However, he said that it was done in response to the allegations that the other camp has been raising in their campaign.
“We didn’t do it first,” he said.
Ouano added that most of the issues raised against his candidacy are mostly about his father, Mayor Thadeo “Teddy” Ouano, who is currently under preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Cortes camp, however, is not worried about the printed material.
Below the belt
Former vice mayor Demetrio “Jun” Cortes Jr., brother of mayoral candidate Jonas Cortes, said the group will not reply to a “childish” act.
“The people already know us,” he said.
Cortes said that the group does not have similar material. They only have flyers and leaflets bearing their platform of government. He also said that they won’t resort to “below-the-belt” comments because it won’t do the city any good.
The flyer from the Ouano camp listed the credentials of Jonkie and his slate.
Jonkie’s credentials were compared to that of Jonas.
The same was done to vice mayoral candidates Carlo Pontico Fortuna and Glenn Bercede, both incumbent city councilors.
Another column was allotted to Jonkie’s candidates for councilor and their credentials.
The fourth column listed allegations against those running against the Ouano camp.
For his part, Acting Mandaue City Mayor Amadeo Seno Jr. said he will not resort to such tactics because he doesn’t like it.
“I’m doing high-level campaigning,” he added.
Seno said that somebody prepared a similar material for him but he disapproved it right away. “I don’t want to destroy anyone. I will just answer an issue raised against me,” he said.
Internet forum Istorya.net is also buzzing with posts from different pro-Cortes and pro-Ouano members.
Online buzz
In the topic for Mandaue politics, one member who claims to be a son of a candidate for councilor posted a message that said his father was given P1 million by the Ouano camp for him not to run. Another member posted messages saying Jonkie is more qualified than Jonas and thus deserves to be mayor.
One pro-Ouano member was banned after sending a pro-Cortes member derogatory remarks through a private message.
Istorya.net allows its members to say anything as long as it’s not “below the belt.”
Site keeper Benjie Ordońez said in an interview with Sun.Star that many people are posting messages about politics because they are starting to be more aware of issues and getting “pro-active.”
“This is just healthy discussion. Any discussion in politics is debatable,” he said.
Gerald Yuvallos, administrator, said that the tolerance level is “loose.”
“With the nature of discussion, things are expected to heat up,” he said.
Yuvallos said that in the 2004 elections, the site had many comments on the rivalry between former Cebu City mayor Alvin Garcia and Mayor Tomas Osmeńa.
But that was when the site only had about 8,000 members. Now, the site has about 30,000 members.
