LAPU-LAPU City mayoral candidate Arturo “Boy” Radaza has claimed victory during his party Lakas-CMD/Team Deretso’s miting de avance on Saturday night, May 4.
His group claimed that 25,000 supporters attended the gathering, which was held at the Mactan Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) football field.
The political rally was the last event that the Radazas would be holding before the midterm elections on Monday, May 13.
In the 2016 elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) tallied 188,815 registered voters in Lapu-Lapu, according to data.gov.ph.
As of October 2018, at least 13,442 new voters for the midterm elections were recorded by the Comelec in Lapu-Lapu City.
Radaza is the husband of Mayor Paz Radaza, who is running for the lone district’s seat in the House of Representatives against Kwin Cabahug (Una), Junex Doronio (WPP) and Eugene Espedido (PDP-Laban).
The other mayoral candidates are independent bets Paulo Cabahug and Virgilio Cano, Junard “Ahong” Chan (PDP-Laban/Team Libre) and Rolando Patalinjug (Una).
During the event, the Radazas endorsed the senatorial candidates running under PDP-Laban, the party of President Rodrigo Duterte. The candidates sent their representatives.
Last February, Duterte raised the hands of Chan and his running mate Dr. Celedonio Sitoy during a political rally in Cebu City.
For Radaza, the presence of his supporters showed that they did not believe the lies spread by his rivals.
Radaza’s supporters reportedly persuaded him to hold the miting de avance after learning that he opted to do away with the activity because he already divulged his platform during the local campaign.
He said they are wary of Chan’s camp for possibly coming up with “gimmicks” that might tarnish his group’s image in the last stretch of the campaign.
Radaza said he received a report that their houses, including that of his nephew and vice mayoral candidate Harry, will be raided and firearms or illegal drugs will be planted as evidence.
He said this is his opponent’s last resort to defeat his group in the elections.
He doubts the benefactors of Chan are behind the alleged plot.
“We learned that they really want to cause trouble. But they cannot intimidate me. Never, ever. So who’s nervous now? Why would we be the ones to cause trouble when we’re already winners?” Radaza said in Cebuano.
For his part, Chan brushed aside the allegations made by his opponent and the latter’s claim of victory.
He accused the Radazas of paying their supporters.
As for his group, Chan said around 30,000 persons are expected to attend their miting de avance in Barangay Pajac on Sunday night, May 5.
Some of them also accompanied him during his caravan on Sunday morning.
The incumbent village chief of Pajo laughed at the accusation that he is plotting something against the Radazas. (FROM GCM OF SUPERBALITA CEBU / KAL)