Ong is ABC prexy; Mabatid walks out
Elections are a numbers game and the numbers, as expected, delivered for Barangay Captain Franklyn Ong in yesterday’s Association of Barangay Councils election in Cebu City.
All 51 barangay captains allied with Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, the group of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, voted for Ong to be ABC president.
No one voted for Ong’s opponent, Barangay Mabolo Captain Prisca Niña Mabatid, and it didn’t help that Mabatid and barangay captains from Barug Team Rama PDP Laban walked out of the hall at the Bayfront Hotel shortly before voting began to protest the presence of Mayor Tomas Osmeña at the venue.
While Mabatid’s camp questioned the validity of the election – that is, because only captains allied with BOPK voted – election officer Marchel Sarno said they pushed through with the election because the number of barangay captains present reached a quorum.
There are 80 barangay captains in Cebu City and 51, all allied with BOPK, remained at the venue.
“Everybody has the right to question. I doubt mo-question siguro kay og mo-question pa, ni-participate ta sila. Basta ang amoa diri, ni-conduct mi og election, sobra man sad sa 50% (number of people),” Sarno said.
The election was supervised by the Commission on Elections, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Department of Education, among others.
Former ABC president, Tisa village chief Phillip Zafra, also said there was no reason not to push through with the election.
Zafra sat as chairman of the registration and credentials committee.
“Well, I respect the opinion of those who boycotted the election. Ang ako lang, I have to do my job and we just have to go on with the election considering that this is our association, after all,” he said.
Ong will now become an ex-officio member of the City Council.
Aside from Ong, Labangon barangay captain Victor Buendia won as vice president and Pahina Central barangay captain Carlo Yap won as auditor.
The board of directors is composed of Rex Milan of Kalubihan, Manuel Guanzon of Capitol Site, Omar Durano of Cogon Ramos, Nilo Tariman of Pit-os, Gremar Barete of Buhisan, Susan Enriquez of Kinasang-an, Michael Gacasan of Guadalupe, and Manolita Abarquez of Poblacion Pardo.
PROTEST
Mabatid's running mate, Mambaling barangay captain, Atty. Gines Abellana, said they will question the validity of the election to DILG, especially that Osmeña was present during the polls.
“Kining eleksyona, tinood nga wala'y hinungdan kay ang mayor dinha gyud. Nagpakita gyud nila aron dili mausab ang ilang desisyon,” Abellana said.
Mabatid claimed receiving text messages from BOPK allied captains asking for forgiveness for not being able to vote for her. These barangay captains reportedly said they do not want Osmeña to run after them.
“Kap nins, naa'y kontra senyas dili ko gusto ma-BMO (Barangay Mayor's Office) akong barangay, dumot kaayo si mayor. Wala nako'y mahimo, botar nalang ko bisan wala ko'y gusto anang tawhana (Ong) kay hambugero,” Mabatid quoted one text message.
She, however, did not disclose the names of those who sent her messages but she said initially that 18 barangay captains allied with BOPK have committed to vote for her.
She said Osmeña forced the barangay captains to vote for Ong and even housed them outside of the city allegedly to monitor them closely. Ong said they went to Danao for a team building and the barangay captains were not forced to go.
“Dili gidala. We had a team building for the kapitans. Naa'y uban wala moadto, naa'y uban niadto, niuli. So dili na siya sa giingon nila nga gihipos ang kapitan, dili man na mga bata. It's a free choice for them to go… even here, naa'y uban gipakatulog nila diri… it's their right. This is for a free country,” Ong said. Osmeña, for his part, said:
“They lost. Mabatid lost. Drama… they know they are going to lose… they know. At the last minute, hilak-hilak nalang sila, sige, walk out, ba-bye.”
PROVINCE ABC
Unlike the election in Cebu City, there was less noise in the election in the provincial group. In fact, all those who ran for the ABC were unopposed.
Celestino Martinez III was elected for the second time as ABC president and consecutively, an ex-officio Provincial Board member. He got 49 votes.
Raymond John Calderon of Samboan town was elected as vice president and Nerisa Arquillano of San Francisco was elected auditor. Like Martinez, they got 49 votes each.
Meanwhile, two of the eight elected members of the board of directors earned 49 votes - Marietta Bucao of Talisay City and Joseph Redula of Alegria town.
Four others got 48 votes – Guillermo Caminero Jr of Argao, Scott Juvenal Chiong of Naga City, Vicente Fernandez of Dumajug, and Bernabe Gonzales Jr. of Balamban.
Joie Genesse Derama of Boljoon and Wilfredo Diamante of Tuburan got 46 votes.
Martinez said he will continue to work on the two-story dormitory in Barangay Kalunasan that will house individuals from outside of Cebu City who will do business at the provincial Capitol.
The said project will cost P25 million and is currently in the bidding process.
The ABC officers of Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City were also elected yesterday.
In Mandaue City, Subangdaku captain Ernie Manatad won again as ABC president, defeating Banilad captain Greg Yap.
This is the third and final time he is elected as ABC president.
"Nalipay ko nga nagpakita gyud ang kada kapitan sa Mandaue City nga lig-on nga baruganan. Nirespeto sad ko sa katong wala mobutar nako kay nagpakita sila sa ilahang kalig-on sab. Hinaut ko nga after this election, magkuyog nasad ming tanan," Manatad said.
In Lapu-Lapu, Bankal captain Eduardo Cuizon, a former city councilor, won unopposed.
He assured his fellow barangay captains that they will be represented well in the City Council and that he will support peace and order efforts of the city government.