Some aspirants willing to give way Minnie Osmeña eyes Congress

CEBU, Philippines - Ma. Victoria “Minnie” Osmeña, who is being rumored to run for Cebu City’s south district representative, has finally confirmed that she is interested in running for Congress in the 2010 elections.

Minnie, the elder sister of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, said she is prepared and ready for the position, which will be vacated by incumbent south district Rep. Antonio Cuenco.

Tomas and Cuenco, who ran under the same group – the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan, are currently not in good terms due to some misunderstandings during the barangay elections in 2007.

But Minnie’s interest in seeking a congressional seat will all depend on the decision and final approval of Tomas.

“I’m interested but it all depends on Tommy,” Minnie said, adding she is thankful to Association of Barangay Council president and city council ex-officio member Eugenio “Jing-jing” Faelnar, who earlier endorsed her to seek the seat in the south district.

Minnie, who was present during last Friday’s gathering of barangay leaders and officials, said that “if one day I should serve you, you will never be sorry.”

According to Minnie, she wants all things to be in place and organized when time comes that her brother will endorse her to run.

If she runs, she claimed she will not have a difficult time campaigning because she was very active in the 2001, 2004 and 2007 elections in her brother’s candidacy.

Willing To Give Way

It is a common knowledge that two of the city councilors in the south district, Councilors Gerardo Carillo and Rodrigo Abellanosa, are very interested to take over the place that would be vacated by Cuenco. Carillo is already on his final term while Abellanosa has still another year to serve as councilor.

In a separate interview with The FREEMAN, Abellanosa said he is willing to give way to Minnie.

“I never had any obsession about anything. I even volunteered to help her,” he said.

Abellanosa added he will consolidate the leaders in the south just to support the mayor’s sister win the congressional seat.For his part, Carillo said that it’s a welcome development if Minnie makes up her mind and eventually runs for congress.

 However, Carillo emphasized that it is still the party, the BO-PK, that will decide who would be their official candidate for the position.

Carillo said he could go back to his law practice if he will not be chosen by the party.

“Abogado man ko, after my term, balik lang ko sa akong profession kay kanang politics para nako dili man gyud na between life and death,” he said.

 The councilor assured the Cebuanos though that he will continue to render his services until and after his term ends.

Abellanosa said that if Minnie gets the endorsement of BO-PK and wins the congressional seat, there is a possibility that she will become the next Speaker of the House.

“Who knows Minnie will end up as a Speaker? That will be something Cebuanos should be proud about,” Abellanosa said.On the other hand, Faelnar said he will go around the south district especially in the mountain barangays to consult their political supporters.

Faelnar wanted to hear the sentiments of their allies particularly the barangay captains after Minnie signified her intention to serve the Cebuanos in her speech during the gathering of barangay captains last Friday night.

Guardo Amused

Meanwhile, opposition stalwart Jonathan Guardo said he was amused with the floating of the name of Minnie after Carillo, Abellanosa and even Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.

Guardo, who is also eyeing the south district congressional seat for the second time, said this only shows that BO-PK has difficulty in looking for someone formidable.

 “Nagpasabot lang na that the three names nga una nilang gi-float have no match against me kay ni-import pa sila og gikan sa United States,” he said.

 The elder Osmeña is based in the United States but it was learned that she is a registered voter of barangay Camputhaw of the city’s north district.

But City Election Officer Attorney Marchel Sarno clarified that Minnie can still transfer her registration to the south district to settle the issue.

“Pwede pa siya nga mubalhin sa south district kay ang six months nga reckoning period from the day of election man, so, taas pa kaayo ang panahon,” Sarno said. He added that even if Minnie is not a registered voter and will register only today, she may still qualify to run for any elective post in the city. This is because the reckoning period is not the date of registration but it will start from the existence of a voter in a particular place.

Minnie is one of the granddaughters of the late president Sergio Osmeña Sr., who was the first Speaker of the House in 1901.

In the 60’s and 70’s, Minnie was at the center of the glittering world of socials and travels and was frequently spotted in the company of international jetsetters.

She worked hard for her father, the late senator and former city mayor Sergio “Serging” Osmeña Jr.’s, political campaigns shaking hands and blowing kisses at adoring crowds.

In the 80’s, Minnie settled in New York City and worked as a financial futures broker at Conti Commodities. She endowed a scholarship program named after her at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government to support students from the Philippines for study and training in public policy.

On September 9, 1982, she married Dwight Lyman Stuart, president of the Carnation Company and a grandson of the founder of Carnation Elbridge Amos Stuart. — with reports from Elly Bolonos/WAB (THE FREEMAN)