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Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Treņas to opposition: No need for invitation
By Nanette L. Guadalquiver
ILOILO City Mayor Jerry Treņas brushed aside the opposition officials' complaint that City Hall failed to invite them to the inauguration of the Freedom Grandstand Saturday.
"There's no need for invitation. It's open to everybody. Waay ni ticket," the mayor told reporters.
Treņas said that he did not prevent anybody or any city official, for that matter, from attending the mass and the program.
Aside from the mayor's partymates Councilors Raul Gonzalez Jr. and Eduardo Peņaredondo and ABC President Marietta Orleans, no other Council members were seen during the program.
Most of the candidates of Lakas-CMD for the City Council were present though.
Among those spotted on the stage were City Legal Officer Jose Espinosa III, Jed Mabilog and Jeffrey Ganzon.
Vice Mayor Victor Facultad and Councilor Ma. Rita Bascos-Sarabia are challenging the mayor in his reelection bid.
Snubbed
Meanwhile, Rona Anape-Ganzon, wife of the late Senator Rodolfo Ganzon, also complained that city officials snubbed her during the mass and the unveiling of the marker for the Freedom Grandstand.
Ganzon, who espoused the timawa (free man) principle, founded the Freedom Grandstand when he became city mayor in 1951.
Rona said in a radio interview she came even if she did not receive an invitation.
"I went there as the wife (of Ganzon). There's no politics involved. It's my obligation to my husband," she said. "I took courage. I took the risk to be there."
Although she received a bouquet, which she offered during the mass, she said her presence was never acknowledged.
"Pareho lang nga wala ko didto (It's as if I wasn't there)," she said.
Rona, however, witnessed the unveiling of the marker, which included an inscription of Ganzon's name. She stood between Sen. John Osmeņa and Rep. Raul Gonzalez Sr.'s wife Pacita. NLG
(January 12, 2004 issue)
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