CLAIMING again that he was cheated in last month’s elections, former mayor Vicente Emano said his party, the Padayon Pilipino, would continue to beef up its forces in the city in preparation for the elections three years from now. But he hinted that his party may field another candidate for the mayoral post: Rep. Pedro Unabia of Misamis Oriental’s 1st District.
Emano claimed that this early, there were already talks on the possibility that Unabia would be the Padayon Pilipino’s standard bearer in the city, a move that would free the ex-mayor’s son, Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano, of a potential serious challenger in Misamis Oriental in the 2019 elections.
Unabia, on one hand, will serve starting this July his third and last office term as representative of Misamis Oriental’s 1st District. On the other hand, Gov. Emano and Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno are both eligible for reelection in the next elections.
Over local radio, Emano claimed: “Gusto gyud modagan si Unabia kung mosugot ko. Unabia is one of our options. Wala ako’y problema kang Unabia.”
Unabia’s group, he said, would need to coalesce with the Padayon Pilipino. The congressman has recently joined the PDP-Laban, the party of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.
Emano said the Padayon Pilipino would also forge alliances with the PDP-Laban.
Emano used to be a member of PDP-Laban but severed his ties with it and formed the Padayon Pilipino as he ran for mayor in the city. Later, Emano fought and defeated the now Sen. Aquilino Martin Pimentel III in the city’s mayoral elections. Pimentel is now the PDP-Laban president.
Emano said another possibility would be a 2019 Padayon Pilipino ticket in the city headed by his daughter Nadya Elipe and son-in-law President Elipe. Both are city councilors.
Emano said there were also two others who have expressed their intention to run for mayor under the Padayon Pilipino. He did not elaborate.
“We will reorganize the Padayon Pilipino here. Lisod na kaayo modagan kung wala kay sapi. Our councilors and barangay chairmen are still intact,” he said.
Emano’s public pronouncements were made over Magnum Radio on Saturday, his first since he lost by nearly 17 thousand votes to Moreno in last month’s elections.
Emano said he did not concede to Moreno because he believed he was cheated.
But he said, “I will not file any election protest despite many claims nga dunay tinonto adtong milabay nga eleksyon.”
Emano said former mayor Reuben Canoy even sent him a text message to advise him against conceding “kay sigurado kami nga natikasan ka.”
Emano added: “Ang nawala sa akong votes mo-abot og 17 thousand while kang [Vice Mayor Caesar Ian] Acenas, 35 thousand. Pero unsaon pag-pagawas sa kamatuoran. Lisod naman.”
He said an election case would be too costly on his part. (lito rulona)
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
