EDITORIAL – Shock waves from the rumor mills

Yesterday, newsrooms were abuzz with rumors of a major development in the camp of Jonas Cortes, a candidate for mayor of Mandaue City. The rumors did not materialize but they did suggest that, even this late in the day, things do not seem pretty settled out there.

The rumors came on the heels of the even more unsettling development in the form of Jonas finding a new backer in Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, an outsider not particularly well-loved in Mandaue City and who could be the unwelcome guest who will eventually spoil the party.

Even if the rumors did not materialize at the time they were expected to, they succeeded in alerting observers to expect the major development nevertheless. And while we cannot say what the rumors were, they do give us a fairly good idea of where the comfort zone happens to rest.

They seem to validate a survey that says Jonkie Ouano is ahead of Jonas in the looming battle royale for leadership of Mandaue City, a once sleepy town that has since become one of the fastest growing cities in Central Visayas, if not the entire Philippines.

It may not be farfetched to suggest that the stewardship of Mandaue City is preordained in these two young men, both of whom trace their roots to the only two families under whose leadership the city attained its phenomenal growth.

The father of Jonas, Demetrio Cortes Sr., was mayor when Mandaue became a city in 1969. He was succeeded by Alfredo Ouano, the grandfather of Jonkie, and then by Thadeo, Jonkie's dad. Now the mayorship is a toss-up between the two young men.

If the survey means anything, it is only that Jonkie is leading, which is not surprising considering that Jonkie hit the ground running first. Besides, the incumbencies of two successive forebears of Jonkie cannot but reap in his favor the fruits of name recall.

But the big question is whether Jonkie can hang on to his lead long enough for election day to catch him still in front or whether Jonas can make inroads substantially enough and quickly enough to overtake Jonkie just in time to make a difference at the polls.

To test that question for plausible answers, one has to observe the political body language. This early, it is Jonkie who seems relaxed, suggestive of someone who has not only kept his marbles but seems to have won more. Jonas? The rumors say expect developments.