Thursday, November 22, 2007 2 village chiefs to take oath of office before Cortes, Ruiz
SOME barangay captains allied with Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz expressed their intention to support Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes.
Six village chiefs took their oath office, upon Ruiz’s invitation last Nov. 17, before Senate President Manuel Villar.
Ruiz, in her speech, told them, “Way tamblingay ha (Don’t change your commitments)?”
Ruiz (Cebu, 6th district) said they will remain together until the 2010 elections.
But some of the barangay leaders also signified their intention to take another oath of office before Cortes.
Former Provincial Board member Gabriel Luis Quisumbing, who is close to Cortes, lost to Ruiz in the May 14 elections, putting the mayor and the congresswoman on opposing sides.
Two village chiefs reportedly wrote Cortes signifying their intention to take their oath of office before the mayor.
Sun.Star Cebu withheld their names pending their comment on the issue.
Two Cortes allies said they believe that the mayor will accept the two barangay captains if they will attend the oath-taking rites next week.
Councilor Jimmy Lumapas, however, expressed his doubts, saying that loyalties of these barangay captains might be questioned.
Cortes’ lawyer Francisco Amit believes that the mayor will accommodate them, since he did not find anything wrong with taking their oath of office again with the mayor.
Louella Cabanero, the mayor’s chief of staff, also said Cortes is the mayor of all barangay captains, not only of his political party.
Ruiz organized an oath-taking ceremony last Saturday, with Villar as their guest speaker, attended by barangay captains, Sangguniang Kabataan chairpersons and barangay councilors.
Former mayor Thadeo Ouano, a close ally of Ruiz, was at the ceremony because some of the officials present are loyal to him.
Ouano’s son Jonkie ran for mayor but lost to Cortes in the May 14 elections.
Cortes’ camp is also organizing a ceremony on Nov. 29 for barangay officials supportive of the administration.
The mayor’s staff is hoping that all community leaders of the city’s 27 barangays will take their oath before the mayor. (OCP)
