Kusug "placeholder" bets set to withdraw tomorrow

CEBU, Philippines - The Kugi Uswag Subgu’s candidates for mayor and vice mayor are set to withdraw their respective candidacies today to make way for their real candidates.

This was revealed yesterday by Kusug spokesman Raymond Garcia, who is also running for councilor in next year’s election.

Landelino Bontilao and Jonah John Rodriguez are expected to be replaced as what their party announced after they filed their Certificates of Candidacy last December 1.

The deadline for substitution of candidates is Monday, but Garcia admitted that Kusug is still in the process of choosing who among them will take the place of Bontilao and Rodriguez.

Garcia said that their choices include Government Service Insurance System president Winston Garcia and former mayor Alvin Garcia. The Kusug spokesman added that there is also a possibility that they might adopt the candidate who already filed their COCs for mayor like Georgia Osmeña of Go Cebu, and independent candidates Samuel Darza and John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña as their possible standard bearer.

But BOPK chairman Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the problem of Kusug may bring him a headache if he will follow their activities, he even likened the said party to a blind man being led by another blind man.

City election officer Marchel Sarno said some aspirants will eventually withdraw their candidacies as the deadline for substitution of candidates looms. He said that he received feelers from some candidates while others are asking him about the process of withdrawing their COCs.

Meanwhile, a candidate for councilor of Cebu City who is allied with Georgia Osmeña has decided to withdraw his candidacy for fear that Mayor Osmeña will get mad at him and stop granting projects to barangay San Jose.

Rodigilio Arinasa already told Sarno that he will no longer run for councilor.

Arinasa used to be the barangay captain of San Jose. His wife, Merinisa is the incumbent barangay captain of San Jose.

Georgia, the mayor’s younger sister, said she was saddened when she received the text message from Arinasa saying that the city officials “pressured” his wife by denying her requests for assistance in the barangay’s projects.   

Arinasa is afraid that Osmeña will also withhold the 600 liters monthly fuel assistance to the barangay’s garbage truck and other vehicles.

“They also pressured my son-in-law who is working with the mayor’s office. If I will not withdraw he might be fired from his job. My family asked me not to proceed with my candidacy,” Arinasa reportedly said in the text message to Georgia.

Osmeña strongly denied allegations that he pressured Arinasa to withdraw. — Elly Bolonos and Rene U. Borromeo/BRP (THE FREEMAN)