Fresnedi vs Masangkay

Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi and civic leader Elizabeth Aguilar-Masangkay is slated to have a "return bout" for the city mayoralty in the May 14 elections.

Fresnedi had beaten Masang-kay in the 1998 elections but Masangkay, a certified public accountant and businesswoman, claims the incumbent mayor’s one term had "disillusioned the people of Muntinlupa." Masang-kay, the sister of Mayor Vergel "Nene" Aguilar of neighboring Las Piñas, said she was again offering her service as mayor so that she can replicate her brother’s work in Las Piñas.

Fresnedi, for his part, said he expected Muntinlupa voters’ to reelect him as a "vote confidence" for his stewardship of the city government. "I am leaving it to the people of Muntinlupa to decide if I had done a good job as their mayor. I believe that the city’s voters are mature and will decide wisely," Fresnedi, a lawyer said.

Fresnedi stressed that Muntinlupa had also won its fair share of awards from the Department of the Interior and Local Government and other organizations for a number of their projects and programs.

A third candidate, identified as Moreno Ortiz Santander, who listed his profession as a gospel minister, had also filed his certificate of candidacy for mayor as an independent.

Masangkay will have incumbent Vice Mayor Vicente "Vic" Chua as her running mate and will be running under the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino. Fresnedi will have Councilor Jojay Alcaraz, as his vice-mayoral bet and will run under the Lakas-NUCD.

A son of Senator Rodolfo Biazon, Rufino "Ruffy" Biazon will challenge incumbent Rep. Ignacio "Toteng" Bunye, a three-term mayor of Muntinlupa before running for Congress in 1998, for the city’s lone congressional seat. – Rainier Allan Ronda