|
Sunday, March 07, 2004
Martinezes want Mar to make amends for Korina
By Karen M. Flores
CEBU CITY -- At a time when show business is almost always linked to politics, Bogo, Cebu Mayor Celestino "Tining" Martinez III said old political rivalries and differences in ideologies are not all they will consider in picking candidates to support.
Other than dropping reelectionist Cebuano Sen. John "Sonny" Osmeņa, Tining said the family is still "debating" on whether to include former trade secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II in the senatorial ticket they will carry.
Although the family has no quarrel with Roxas, Roxas' girlfriend, broadcaster Korina Sanchez, figured in an ugly verbal tussle last year with Rep. Clavel Asas-Martinez (Cebu, 4th district), Tining's mother.
"He (Roxas) should go out of his way to talk to the congresswoman," Tining said in a news conference Saturday, during a break in the gathering they called for members of the Independent Masa in a restaurant in the reclamation area.
In September last year, Clavel threatened to sue Sanchez and her co-host, Kris Aquino, when the two failed to attend a third hearing the House committee on public information called on the broadcasters' "irresponsible" acts in their TV program "Morning Girls."
Sanchez allegedly called Clavel "bastos" and even called on Cebuanos not to vote for her.
Tining said it is already a given that Lakas-CMD officials in Manila, including President Arroyo herself, know they cannot compel the Martinez family and their supporters to support the entire K-4 senatorial line-up.
They have not decided on who else to junk but initially, he said, they are considering including in their campaign senatorial hopefuls Jinggoy Estrada, Jamby Madrigal and Ernesto "Boy" Herrera, all of the opposition Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP).
Payback time?
In Bogo, Tining said he will work to promote Jinggoy because of his management of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) when he (Jinggoy) was the league president from 1998-2001.
Tining served then as member of the board of directors.
Although their families have political differences (Clavel served in the prosecution during former president Joseph Estrada's impeachment trial), he said he owes Jinggoy for the help he gave Cebu mayors.
Tining clarified, however, that despite their support of some KNP candidates, they remain loyal to President Arroyo's candidacy.
More than 100 candidates who will be running in the towns under Independent Masa's banner gathered Saturday to discuss, among others, the launching of their campaign on March 25.
(March 7, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Coastguard concentrates on retrieval operation