Bzzzzz: Rumored to be prepping for '22 race: Mabatid, Ong, Pesquera, Yap

PEOPLE talk about...

[1] THE HORROR STORIES FROM THE SEA GAMES PREPARATIONS. The worst may yet come as athletic delegations began arriving for the November 30-December 10 competitions in Clark City, Tarlac. It might not just be the P50 million cauldron that will be used for one time at the torch-lighting ceremony.

[2] THE LACK OF DUE PROCESS TO THE TEACHER whom broadcaster Raffy Tulfo allegedly denied the teacher involved in a maltreatment complaint filed by a teacher. Is a journalist handling a radio program duty-bound to give due process as courts are? The journalist is required to observe fairness, the linchpin of due process.

Probable candidates

This early, more names are being heard in the gossip circuit as probable competitors in the 2022 elections.

Why do people think they're running? They gauge the plan from (a) the programs the likely aspirants have started, (b) the acts of reaching out, which during the election season would be regarded as campaigning for votes, and (c) the "positioning and posturing."

Sighted and assessed as having plans to run in the next elections:

[1-2] Joy Pesquera for the Cebu City south House seat and Richard Yap for the Cebu City north seat. Apparently, the 2019 run for both was "prep" exercise. With their veteran opponents set aside by term limit in their return race, they see the field as providing a much better chance for them. Both Representative Bebot Abellanosa and Representative Raul del Mar, veteran political war horses, will complete their third term in 2022.

[3] Cebu City Council Niña Mabatid of Partido Barug for the House seat in Cebu City north. The City Council newbie placed second in the north councilors match and was one of two Barug bets who survived, polling 113,908 votes, the 6-2 BOPK sweep (the other Barug survivor was Councilor Raymond Garcia, #8)).

City Hall watchers see Mabatid as an aggressive politician who could give a tough fight to other north contenders. Her campaign tactics and style raised accusation that she was not a team player in 2019, resulting in the near-total rout of Barug in the north district.

[4-5] Councilor Franklyn Ong, who represents the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC), may run for a higher post in 2020, possibly the vice mayor's seat, as running mate of Tomas Osmeña if Tomas will run again or Representative Bebot Abellanosa, who cannot run for reelection, if he runs for mayor instead.

Ong reportedly distributed one motorcycle each to the barangay captains under him, emblazoned with the sticker "One New Government" or ONG.

No anti-epal law yet

There is no law yet against scene-stealing or attention-grabbing by public officials who advertise government projects. As of last November 2, Representative Robert Ace Barbers who re-filed his bill was pushing for its passage: House Bill 71 was still with the committee on civil service ad professional regulation.

And the proposed ban, once enacted into law, would make it illegal for a government official to advertise his name and photograph on signage for government projects, services and vehicles.

As to the motorcycles Ong had distributed reportedly among barangay captains, (1) the e-pal law is not yet passed and (b) there is no showing yet that the vehicles were bought with government money.

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