NEWS: Mayor CO says Cong. Olano “long Lakas inactive”, Yayong an alleged “tax evader”

jan 5

By Cha Monforte

Reelectionist Tagum City Mayor Rey “CO” Uy has named names to two of his rivals for city mayorship: outgoing Congressman Arrel Olano to have been allegedly “long been inactive for many years” in the Lakas Party, and former Governor Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza as alleged “one of the tax evaders” in the city.
“Dugay na siya nga wa nag-apil-apil sa Lakas (Olano has long been not participating in Lakas activities),” the mayor said to Cong. Olano, who is running for mayor as independent Lakas-Kampi-CMD candidate.

In the same apparent political potshot to Gementiza, Uy also turned the table to the former governor, accusing him as “one of the tax evaders in the city” in reply to the earlier charge that the mayor has been indiscriminately raising taxes during his two terms which has accordingly turned off  a lot of businessmen in the city.

Uy said the tax issue raised by Gementiza is a “black propaganda” against him.

He said though that “he is just religiously collecting taxes” for the greater welfare of the city constituents.

The mayor also expressed woe over the virtual absence of slate of Olano as he has only two candidates for city councilors, and the “weak and incomplete city slate” of independent candidate Gementiza, describing it as “signs of weakness” of both of the candidacies of his rivals.

He though failed to described the candidacy of retired police investigator and businessman Cesar Cuntapay, who is running independent without any candidate for city councilor.

Olano earlier said that he decided to run for city mayor in the last hour “to pre-empt” Uy from drafting a Lakas city slate with Congresman Anton Lagdameo’s approved Lakas nominations without Olano’s hand of it.

Olano charged that when Lagdameo did not invite him when Tagum leaders took oath as new Lakas members when ex-Ms. Universe Margie Moran-Floirendo declared her gubernatorial bid late November right in his own District 1 at Tagum City, and when the congressman was eased out in the drafting of official Lakas slate in the city, “they made a mockery to the Lakas party that I’ve long been a member of”.

Uy, in an interview, however said he would not take any chances in the coming polls given his rivals. “Di gihapon ta magkumpyansa”.

Gementiza earlier apprised that with the running of Olano who is said to be “close to the Church and Iglesia”, Uy could be wrested of a big chunk of votes.

Meanwhile, Compostela Valley Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy, in separate interview, said that he is confident of the ultimate winning of his younger brother CO, saying that he is already past of his most difficult electoral battle in 2004 when “it was against all odds” favoring the defeated mayoral administration bet Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio Jr.

“That time CO won despite that Baby had already all- there was RDR, the PNP, the military, and others,” the governor recalled. (Cha Monforte/ Rural Urban News)

Filed under: cong. arrel olano, Former Davao del Norte Governor Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza, mayor rey chiong uy, congressman arrel olano, tagum mayor uy, yayong gementiza

NEWS: “Baby will defeat AGR”- Yayong

Despite AGR’s reported recovery from cancer

may 6

Former Davao del Norte Governor Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza in an interview yesterday made his early electoral prediction that Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio Jr will defeat the governor’s son Anthony Rafael del Rosario (AGR) once the two would decide to slug it out for the District 2 congressional post in 2010 polls.

Speaking in his sprawling residence cum copra warehouse in Apokon, Tagum City, Gementiza said that AGR, who was reported last week to have recovered from his Stage 3- Hodgkin Lymphoma cancer following chemotherapy treatments, could not win over Suaybaguio saying that “ay sus Tagum lang ang tan-awon (they could only glance it in Tagum) “given that Suaybaguio had served for 9 years as a mayor here”. “Modaug lagi si Baby!”

The former governor reiterated his earlier political remark that AGR is closely identified to have hailed from District 2 and not from District 1 despite than he has already established a residence in the city.

“But Baby is more popular than (Cong. Arrel) Olano, who defeated twice (Pantaleon) Bebot Alvarez due to the issue of non-residency,” Gementiza added.

Based on this result, he said that the people of Tagum will always ask, nasapawan man ta (somebody rises from outside of  them) and would not want it.

Gementiza also opined that if he were the father of a son politician who has recovered from cancer he would not allow him to be drafted to go through the rigors of electoral campaigns especially in a congressional race where it is a must that the candidate should really sweat it out to individually campaign to each and everyone.

“And how much more if you win. Trabaho gyud ang naa sa Congress (it’s all work in Congress),” he added.

Gementiza said that based on what his friend physicians have told him there is a “need for a five-year rest” to those who have survived from cancer.

He further said that given this AGR could have an option of running for governor if his father Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario (RDR) would opt to retire and “in this case RDR would take charge of the campaigning”.

Obviously giving unsolicited advice, he added: “And if AGR wins as governor he can still run the Capitol through his administrator and the vice governor.”

In the same interview, Gementiza also confirmed that he had already applied to RDR for him to go back to the Lakas fold, which has yet no action taken by the Lakas party in the province at press time. “Pero daghan ang mobabag ana (Many will block my application)”.

Asked on what post he would aspire by 2010, he shot back: “ayaw sa, wala sa (none yet)”.

In 2007 Gementiza made a jump ship from Lakas close before elections and subsequently ran but failed in his gubernatorial bid for reelection against the comebacking RDR. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: Anthony Rafael del Rosario (AGR), Former Davao del Norte Governor Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza, Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio Jr, Anthony Rafael del Rosario (AGR), Former Davao del Norte Governor Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza, Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio Jr