By Nitz Arancon
Correspondent .
APPARENTLY, an endorsement from the President, however popular, is not an assurance of a sure win next month, local pundits pointed out.
Former Vice Mayor Antonio Soriano opined that mayoral candidate Jose Gabriel La Viña, 2nd district congressional bet Yan Lam Lim, and city councilor candidate Girlie Balaba may have had too much endorsement from President Rodrigo Duterte that it affected their standings in the recently concluded survey of Xavier University’s Kinaadman University Research Office.
“Mao na nga giluwa ang iyang (Duterte) mga gi-endorse kay nasubrahan na man. So dili maayo nang magsubra. Sama bitaw anang nasubrahan nimo ug kaon, ang resulta ana, imo nang isuka,” Soriano said.
He said the only way the three would win in the coming elections is if Duterte would dictate upon the Commission on Elections.
“Iyang ingnon ang Comelec nga ipada-og na sila ha, bantay lang mo, ana lang,” Soriano said.
The former vice mayor pointed out that La Viña’s poor showing in the Kinaadman survey meant that he is not yet “ripe” to run for mayor.
“Nagsugod unta siya pagka kagawad, posibling moda-og pa siya (La Viña). Pero mayor, lisod,” Soriano said.
As for Lim, Soriano said Lim’s personality does not fit in Congress.
“Dili siya pang-kongreso. Pero pagka mayor, puwede siya (Lim),” he said.
On Balaba’s candidacy, Soriano pointed out that, although she is a Cagayanon, Balaba is virtually unknown in the city.
“Taga dinhi man siya (Balaba) sa Cagayan de Oro pero wala man gud siya ma-ila pa kaayo dinhi sa ato. Mao nang mapilde gyud siya,” said Soriano.
For his part, former Congressman Erasmo Damasing, Jr. said he was not surprised that all of the candidates endorsed by Duterte showed poorly in the Kinaadman survey.
Damasing said the survey showed that not all candidates endorsed by Duterte will win in the coming elections.
“It does not follow, nga komo kay gi-indorso sila sa Presidente, sila na lugar dayon ang modaog? Dili puwede na,” Damasing pointed out.
He said the power still lies with the voters who they will choose next month.
Lawyer Proculo Sarmen, Associate Labor Union president for Northern Mindanao, concurred with Damasing.
“Dili tungod kay gi-endorse na sila sa Presidente da-og na lugar dayon sila. Ang mga tawo pa gyud gihapon ang magbo-ot, dili ang endorsement sa Presidente,” Sarmen said.
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