Klarex, Candy start fighting over Roxas

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

REP. Rolando Uy of the city’s 1st District and his challenger Councilor Lourdes Darimbang yesterday lashed out at each other in the scramble to win the favor of Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Manuel Roxas II.

This came following Darimbang’s claim that Uy, the LP’s congressional candidate in the city’s 1st District, has been supporting the presidential bid of Sen. Grace Poe all along.

Uy however called Darimbang’s claim as a “big lie” even as he linked the councilor to a “well-oiled” campaign to discredit him, and to a group behind the presidential candidacy of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Uy said it was clear to him that Darimbang wanted him discredited in the hope of winning the support of Roxas’s group for her candidacy.

He also strongly denied that he was supporting Poe.

“Dili mahitabo nga akong biyaan si Roxas,” said Uy, pointing out that Darimbang’s allegations were illogical.

Uy said Darimbang should be the one explaining why she is allied with a group that is openly supporting the presidential bid of Binay.

“She claims to be for Mar Roxas but everyone knows she’s with the Binay group,” said Uy.

He questioned why Darimbang has accused and criticized him of supporting another presidential candidate when a situation like that would have been to her favor.

Uy said, “If that is true, then Darimbang should be happy because that is the only way for her to be noticed by Roxas. But that is a big lie, and this well-funded lie just had to be spread because what she wants is for me to be discredited in order for her to increase her chances of being considered by Roxas. But why would the Roxas group trust her when she’s clearly with the Binay group in the city?”

He added: “Ako nalay nalo-oy niya (Darimbang) kay bisan dili siya balibalihon ni Roxas, nagsigi siyag angkon nga Liberal siya,” Uy said.

Darimbang earlier alleged that Uy has been supporting Poe instead of Roxas, claiming that he saw Uy’s political leaders with white t-shirts that bear Poe’s name and image.

“Nakita gyud nako ang mga leader ni Congressman Uy didto sa CU nga nagso-ot sa color puti nga t-shirt, ug  naay marka sa dagway ug ngalan ni Poe, unya  nagsakay sila sa sakyanan ni Uy,” said Darimbang.

Darimbang said she was told earlier that Uy has decided to support Poe but did not believe until what she saw at the Capitol University.

She said, “Nakaingon kon nga, ‘Ah, tino-od gyud di-ay kay nganong ang iyang mga leader nagso-ot man sa t-shirt ni Poe?’”

Uy said anyone could also easily make up and spread a story that he or she saw people identified with Darimbang wearing t-shirts with the name and image of Roxas’s presidential rival, and riding in a vehicle owned by the councilor.

He said, “Darimbang’s style of sowing intrigues no longer works. In fact, the LP knows what she’s up to. No one is really buying her stories.”