THERE are two versions of the rumor in the gossip mill about the Cebu governor’s seat:
-- One, under the Liberal Party, a Durano or a Durano relative will take the slot of Junjun Davide for Cebu who’ll be persuaded to accept a Court of Appeals position (names mentioned: Ace Durano, Rene Almendras); or
-- Two, the Duranos may opt to bet their political fortune on the opposition, specifically the Binays, thus abandoning Bakud’s 2013 alliance with the LPs, provided it will be a Durano or a Durano relative who’ll get the governor’s slot, campaign chest and all.
The Durano bloc will be a considerable influence on results of the local election, which in turn will help the national party to which it will throw support.
Without Bakud’s backing, the LPs will face rough sailing in the fight to retain the Capitol and in getting the bulk of the Cebu vote for its presidential bet.Same thing with the Binay camp. It needs vote-rich Cebu in the national race.
Trade-off from the national party’s side may be in the form of plum government posts, which the PNoy administration can still give before the appointments ban, or campaign money, which the cash-abundant Binay camp can dangle for its would-be local candidates.
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In Cebu City, how will M&M turn out?
ASKED about chances of Councilor Margot Osmeña running for mayor, a BOPK insider told a Bzzzzz source it would still be Tomas Osmeña battling Mayor Michael Rama.
That assumes BOPK would’ve the luxury of choice, meaning Tomas’s health would still allow him to run a rigorous campaign.
Tomas, the source says, still leads Margot by a mile in in-house surveys BOPK has conducted although the former mayor and former congressman kids about it: “I also vote for Margot.”
How about the much-buzzed-about M&M (Margot and Mary Ann de los Santos) mayor-vice mayor team? “Still sweet,” the Bzzzzz source says.
The “dream team” may go pfft but maybe not Mary Ann’s defection from Team Rama.
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PNoy dating with Miss Universe bet?
THE woman is Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Universe Philippines 2015, and she was sighted having dinner with PNoy last March 7 at Bellini’s restaurant in Cubao, Quezon City.
Pia, 25, admitted to TV host and presidential sister Kris Aquino, that she and PNoy, 55, have been communicating with each other and he’s “fun to be with.” But he’s busy running a country and she’s busy preparing for an international beauty competition.
Over-eager Kris not only was delighted; she’d be “a nice sister-in-law” to Pia.
Which is leaping ahead of the basic requirement: for PNoy to get together with Pia long enough for them to talk about and decide to go beyond having dinner.
[bzzzzz@sunstar.com.ph]