By Cha Monforte
jan 28
Reelectionist Tagum City Mayor Rey “CO” Uy confirmed the other day that he is junking and would no longer be supporting the candidacies of fellow Liberal partymates Boardmember Antonio Lagunzad and ex-Boardmember Shirley Belen Aala for supporting one of his mayoral rivals, Congressman Arrel Olano.
Lagunzad is reelectionist for the same post while Aala is running for boardmember this time after losing in vice gubernatorial race with Vice Gov. Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio Jr in the last 2007 polls.
Lagunzad is known close political protégé of Governor Rodolfo del Rosario while Aala is erstwhile ally of former District 2 Congressman Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo Jr, who is a known close personal friend of Uy.
Unimpeachable sources said that Lagunzad earned the ire of Mayor Uy after he was suspected to have distributed rice coming from Olano as Christmas giveaways to constituents sometime last month.
Last December Olano had distributed Christmas gifts consisting of two kilos of rice and calendars at his residence in Delfina Subdivision to each of the thousands of gift-asking constituents.
On the other hand, Aala would no longer get political backing from Uy in his Tagum turf for already supporting Olano following the recent defection of her son ex-city Councilor Tristan “Bong” Aala from from the independent slate of co-mayoral candidate ex-Gov. Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza to another independent slate of Olano.
Last December the elder Aala said she would be supporting her son despite their party differences as any mother would have to do for his son or daughter.
At least three candidates for councilor under Gementiza bolted to Olano’s camp last week. The other two candidates were identified to be Erwin Ang and Dexter Welborn.
Ex-councilor Geterito “Boyet” Gementiza, also a candidate for councilor under his father’s slate, confirmed the defection gamely saying, “it’s how democracy works, it’s their choice”.
Olano however claimed to running under independent Lakas-Kampi-CMD. The congressman was not given the administration’s official certificate of candidacy by unopposed reelectionist District 2 Cong. Anton Lagdameo when he filed his CoC on the last hours of the December 1, 2009 deadline.
Efforts to reach Lagunzad and Aala for comment proved futile as of the press time. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)
Filed under: Dexter Welborn, Erwin Ang, Shirley Belen Aala, Tristan “Bong” Aala, X Boardmember Antonio Lagunzad, Boardmember Antonio Lagunzad, Dexter Welborn, Erwin Ang, Shirley Belen Aala, Tristan “Bong” Aala
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