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Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Lito Osmeña aims for one of 3 posts
By Karen M. Flores
CEBU -- Political movements in Cebu are getting more interesting with recent talks that Promdi chairman Lito Osmeña may run for congressman in the sixth district after transferring his voter’s registration to Lapu-Lapu City.
Lito confirmed Monday that by “revitalizing” Promdi, doing his rounds of Cebu and neighboring provinces, and transferring his registration, he is keeping his options open for the vice presidency, governorship and Congress.
Also, if a proposal raised by Aristotle Batuhan is taken, it will be a duel between former Cebu City Mayor Alvin Garcia and Rep. Raul del Mar for the congressional seat in Cebu City’s north district, and former Cebu governor Vicente de la Serna and incumbent Mayor Tomas Osmeña for Cebu City mayor.
Batuhan, an ally of Kugi Uswag Sugbo (Kusug), said over ABS-CBN TV Patrol Cebu that he first proposed del Mar to challenge Commissioner Ruben Carranza of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG). But Carranza declined because of more important priorities in his work.
He said after Carranza turned him down, he proposed the idea to Garcia, whom he said found it interesting. But Garcia gave no commitment.
For mayor in Cebu City, Batuhan talked with de la Serna, who welcomed the idea as he has been looking forward to a one-on-one with Tomas.
Batuhan, for his part, said he is prepared to take on Cuenco once more for the Cebu City south congressional post.
“I am inclined to run against Cuenco because my advocacy remains unfinished,” he said.
Lito might join Batuhan in the congressional race, but he will likely run in the sixth district where he has transferred his voter’s registrton.
If he wins, Lito said he will not be content with this; he will go for the speakership, especially if former education secretary Raul Roco wins in his bid for the presidency.
If Lito runs for Congress, Cebu Provincial Board (PB) Member Victor Maambong said he would not only accept Lakas’ offer for him to run for congressman in the sixth district, he would even “court” the administration party’s nomination.
Maambong said that while he has the “highest respect” for Lito, it is a “dream” for him to run against a “presidential timber” with whom he has “divergent” views that can be presented to voters.
“This is the dream of a lifetime of any organizer. He is known for his gargantuan ideas and I like my micro, bottom-up approach. It should be interesting for voters,” he said in a talk with reporters Monday.
Maambong said he expects to lose but he wants to try, anyway.
Speculations have it that Lito wants to become congressman so he can push for the reclamation project in Barangay Ibo, Lapu-Lapu City which is reportedly his brainchild. He has applied with Comelec that his registration be transferred from Busay, Cebu City to Ibo.
But he said Monday that he does not need to be congressman to push for the project. It is even better to pursue this in a private capacity, he added.
For his part, Maambong opposes another reclamation undertaking because Cebu is already “drowned in reclamation projects” and there are still many idle reclaimed lots.
Besides, this will displace thousands of marginal fisherfolk who depend on the waters there for survival, he said.
Talks also indicate that Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz (Cebu, 6th district) wants to run for mayor in Mandaue City because she is happier as an executive than as a legislator.
In Lakas, Maambong said he wants other higher-ranking members to be prioritized as their congressional candidate. These include former Mandaue city mayor Alfredo “Pedong” Ouano, former Lapu-Lapu city mayor Ernest Weigel Jr. and Mandaue City Vice Mayor Amadeo Seno Jr.
As for former congressman Efren Herrera, Osmeña said he is “convertible” and will “run wherever we (at Promdi) think he should.” One of the positions being considered for Herrera is Lapu-Lapu mayor. With AIV/Sun.Star Cebu
(October 21, 2003 issue)
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