Guardo open to tie-up with Osmeña

Political neophyte Jonathan Guardo, who is seeking to put an end to the political career of Rep. Antonio Cuenco in the south district, yesterday said he is not closing the door to a possible arrangement with Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena, a Cuenco ally, to achieve his goal.

Guardo said a political arrangement with Osmena is possible because he is not running against the mayor but against Cuenco.

" I only focus on my candidacy but if the mayor would want to help me, any kind of support, I would be very glad. The filing ( of certificates of candidacy ) is still far away and many possibilities could still happen, " Guardo said.

Guardo made the overtures while reacting to an oblique accusation by Osmena that a congressional aspirant in the south district has been trying to raid the ranks of his supporters by enticing them with money, an allegation he denies.

Osmena did not name Guardo in his accusation but being the only known aspirant so far who has gone public about challenging the bid of Cuenco for a third and last term, it was clear who he meant.

Guardo owns a number of businesses, including Osaka Iridology and Uniherb. He is also the man behind Guardo Sports.

Osmena, however, seems unperturbed by reports of Guardo's alleged raids into the ranks of his supporters, welcoming it as a good way to test the loyalty of his men.

While Guardo denies using money to win political support, he admits wooing some grassroots leaders in the south district. " I never offered them monetary considerations. I am wooing them but I am not a trapo (traditional politician). "

And, he said, he is not going after the men of Osmena, only those of Cuenco.

But his initiatives have netted at least one big fish that is an old Osmena hand, Pasil barangay captain Romeo Ocarol.

On learning of the loss of Ocarol, Osmena quickly tried to repair the damage by belittling the defection, saying the loss of Ocarol is just a loss of one vote.

Osmena said it was good that Ocarol has defected so that he now knows who remains loyal to him. He said he is treating the matter as a cleansing process, to weed out those " who can be bought " and those who cannot.

A few days ago, Ocarol promised to deliver Pasil to Guardo even if the barangay of about 7,000 voters is a known Cuenco bailiwick that is reportedly able to give the incumbent congressman a comfortable margin of anywhere between 2,500 to 3,000 votes.

Osmena said Guardo is also even trying to woo his nephew Ritchie Osmena, a son of his first cousin Renato, who he is considering for inclusion in his ticket for the city council.

Guardo said he is running against Cuenco because " barangay officials in the south have been hoping for change and number one among them is captain Ocarol. I expect more barangay officials to defect to my camp in a few weeks, " he said.

He did admit that while some of them have already agreed in principle to support him, they still remain loyal followers of Osmena. " I am happy that when I announced my candidacy, they expressed support for me. They still support Tommy, but for congressman, they will support me. "