MAYORAL candidates Jose Gabriel “Pompee” La Viña and Ben Contreras ganged up on incumbent Mayor Oscar Moreno trying to pin him down on corruption allegations, even as the latter seemingly found an ally in perennial independent bet Felix Borres.
The air crackled with electricity as tempers flared during the Xavier University-initiated debate Tuesday, April 30, with La Viña and Contreras' opening statements focusing on eliminating corruption, an allegation Moreno is facing endlessly.
La Viña had consistently connected the issue on corruption to the topics set by the organizers: employment, traffic, the impact of President Rodrigo Duterte's endorsement, water supply problem, and transparency and accountability.
La Viña reacted to Moreno's supporters laughing every time he mentioned corruption, saying “Katawa bitaw mo pero tinuod ang corruption ang ugat sa tanan. Kamo mga supporters manhid nako.”
Moreno, meanwhile, delved on presenting the achievements and awards under his leadership and dodged the questions thrown by La Viña, telling him the "questions are irrelevant to the topic being debated on.”
At one point, Moreno and La Viña argued about whose turn to speak.
Independent candidate Felix Borres eased the tension, telling the audience that they should vote for him because of his experience - being a contractor of the big malls in the city.
But, Borres said if the people would not vote for him, they should throw their support to Moreno, whom he said, has more experience than the three of them.
Meanwhile, the vice mayoral fora did not push through with the absence of the two candidates, former mayor Vicente "Dongkoy" Emano and incumbent Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin "Kikang" Uy.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) officer lawyer Ramil Acol said Emano did not confirm his attendance nor decline to attend. The candidate did not respond to the invitation, he said.
Acol said Uy had confirmed, but might have decided not to participate because of the absence of his opponent.
“Hapsay atong forum despite nga wala atong vice mayor, nakapahungaw sa ilang gibati, plataporma. At least duna nay basehan ang mga tao kung kinsay pilion nila,” Acol said.