|
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Campaign period for local poll bets starts
By Edwin G. Espejo
* AIM holds rally today at Oval Plaza
THE election fever is on. Starting Wednesday, candidates for the local elections are free to campaign openly for the May 10 elections.
In General Santos City, incumbent Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. and his partymates under the Achievers with Integrity Movement (AIM) will hold their opening rally at the Oval Plaza while independent vice mayoralty candidate Councilor Franklin Gacal Jr. and his supporters will march around the city's major thoroughfares to drum up his bid.
Lakas-CMD standard-bearer Ryan Rivera and his slate would hold their separate rally Thursday, also at the Oval Plaza. Acharon is running for re-election and he is up against Rivera, a businessman who ran and lost in the 2001 congressional race.
The re-electionist city mayor failed to show up during the rally of opposition presidential bet Fernando Poe Jr. although majority of his party mates was at the Oval Plaza Friday evening.
Acharon told Sun.Star he attended the graduation of his daughter in Cebu.
After months of silence, AIM finally came out in the open to support the candidacy of Poe.
Present during the rally were re-electionist Rep. Darlene Antonino (1st district-South Cotabato) and her mother Lualhati, herself a former member of the House of Representative.
Vice mayor Florentina Congson (AIM) is also seeking her second full term while 10 of the incumbent city councilors are seeking re-election.
They are councilors Jose Orlando Acharon, Lourdes Casabuena, Minda Atendido, Jose Mari Natividad, Eduardo Leyson III, Zoilo Abing, Minardo Avila Jr., Jose Mari Gonzales, Ramon Milleza and Orlando Oco.
Casabuena, Atendido and Natividad are aiming for their third and last term.
Councilor Cesar Bañas opted to retire and instead tossed up her daughter Shirlyn. All are members of AIM.
The lone opposition councilor is Gacal (Lakas-CMD-PDP), who decided to throw his hat in the vice mayoralty race. He is up against AIM's Congson and Lakas-CMD's
Beth Bagonoc.
Lakas-CMD's candidates for councilors are Dominador Lagare, Boy Reyes, Ely Cabangal, Nannete Aparente, Harris Diamad, Eleuterio Tubo, Shandee Llido, Jose Majaducon, Vivencio Dinopol, Nely Canda, George Catapang, Fidel Peñamante.
The official congressional candidate of Lakas in the first district is Disocorro Nuñez, husband of former city mayor Rosalita Nuñez.
(March 25, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
