Duterte, Nograles forge ‘unity ticket’

DAVAO CITY — In politics, there are no permanent enemies, as it is often said.

Proof of this, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has joined forces with his fierce political rival, first district Rep. Prospero Nograles, in what is dubbed as a "unity ticket."

Duterte has taken his oath as a member of the Partidong Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban but spearheads the local Hugpong sa Katawhan party, while Nograles is the city’s Lakas-CMD (Christian-Muslim Democrats) leader.

Both Duterte and Nograles, who are qualified to run for two more terms, have expressed support for President Arroyo as she seeks a fresh presidential mandate in the May 2004 polls.

Incumbent Vice Mayor Luis Bonguyan, a Lakas-CMD member, will be Duterte’s running mate.

The "unity ticket" will entail an equal sharing between the Hugpong sa Katawhan and the Lakas-CMD of the 24 slots in the city council and in the two other congressional seats.

The camps of Duterte and Nograles are still reportedly finalizing the final candidates of the "unity ticket."

Meanwhile, former Mayor Benjamin de Guzman is raring for a rematch with Duterte, who defeated him by a margin of 29,000 votes in the 2001 elections.

De Guzman expressed confidence that he could give Duterte a good fight this time based on what he claimed to be an outpouring of support for him from various sectors in the city.

De Guzman is still firming up his slate for the city council, which will include a number of incumbents. Second district Rep. Vincent Garcia, who belongs to the Nationalist People’s Coalition, is seeking re-election under De Guzman’s ticket.