Scrolling down: incumbent Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza, Boy's wife and Aileen's mom, may sit this one out or take other options; the expected question from voters -- how healthy is Boy Radaza; former Mandaue mayor, now Representative Jonas Cortes sued for plunder in a charge that was yet to be filed; case involves alleged under-pricing in sale of city lot.
FORMER Lapu-Lapu City mayor and former congressman Arturo Radaza returns in 2019 to the political ring when he seeks to succeed his wife Paz, the incumbent three-termer mayor.
And his daughter Aileen runs for reelection as congresswoman, her third term if she wins.
Earlier speculation that Paz would run for Congress and Aileen for mayor was squelched with the more recent information that a member of the Radaza clan mediated and settled the disagreement. In this case, just like in a squabble over inheritance, mediation seems to work.
Options for Paz
What will Paz do? Unless she can have the agreement changed on or before the October deadline for filing of COCs, she may sit the 2019 race out. Or she might run for another position, say, vice mayor or councilor.
Not for the mayor's seat. Term limit bars her. And she cannot use her 90-day suspension, which started in January 2017, as breach or interruption of the term limit.
The anti-graft case involved P15-million pork barrel "misuse" in 2002. The Sandiganbayan ruling pinned her liability as treasurer of Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Cebu chapter, which handled the pork barrel money for anti-drug campaign, an allocation for then fourth-district congresswoman Clavel Martinez. Use of the amount was allegedly not reflected in the GSP financial and audit records. (Clavel and her son were also charged by the ombudsman.)
How's Boy's health?
That's the first information people would like to get. In 2012, Boy Radaza, then a first-term congressman, held a press-con in his wife's City Hall office and announced he wouldn't seek reelection for health reasons. Instead, his daughter Aileen, then 28, ran and won.
In crutches at the press-con, he didn't specify his ailment. His staff said it was from an injury in an old motorcycle accident while his political enemies pointed to a "debilitating disease." He said then he'd focus on his therapy.
Six years after that, voters might want to take a close look at Boy and ask for a medical report. Is he fit to run? While his critics might ask, "Doesn't Lapu-Lapu City, with all its human resources, have anyone else?"
Sitoy's Kusgano
Meanwhile, Presidential Liaison on Legislative Affairs Ade Sitoy who supported the opposition Kusgano in the Lapu-Lapu 2016 elections may actively take part again in 2019.
But if the LP chapter led by Ephraim Pelaez would continue to wage its seemingly hopeless battle, that would mean a split opposition, which has made the two groups easy picking for the Radaza clan in the past few elections.
Aileen's third term
It will be congresswoman Aileen's third term if she wins in 2019. Being a legislator must become her and suit her experience in business; otherwise, she would have given way to her Mommy.
The public knows little or doesn't care what she has done for Lapu-Lapu's lone district. She got elected twice already apparently because of the Radazas' campaign machinery.
Plunder raps vs Jonas
A story in a Manila-based newspaper said former mayor now Representative Jonas Cortes, with past and present officials, would face plunder charges in the connection with the allegedly under-priced sale of a city-owned lot.
The story said, however, the charges are "set to be filed this week." Meaning the complaint has not yet been filed and is still to be filed.
Unlike other plans, a plan to file a complaint is not a solid story. Complainants might drop the plan. The fact of filing the complaint is the story, not the idea or thought to file.
***
Tell us about it.
[paseares@gmail.com]