EDITORIAL - Mudslinging to heighten

As the filing of the certificate of candidacy starts tomorrow, those running for public office next year are now gearing up for another push as the election fever officially starts. An aspirant will have until Friday to do business with the Commission on Elections otherwise his or her name will not appear on the list of candidates.

After the candidacy filing, expect the political mudslinging to heighten. In Cebu City, the Team Rama and the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan have already been trading barbs way before Mayor Michael Rama and South District Representative Tomas Osmeña positioned themselves for the big battle in 2013.

In fact, the two groups have already been barnstorming the barangays to draw the pulse of the masses. And it’s hard to say which gained the upper hand as of the moment considering the fact that their pulong-pulongs are well attended. Of course, election day is still few months away.

Many things are still bound to happen. But as many would say, it would be a tight fight between Rama and Osmeña. Both have resources and the charisma to win. Both are scions of two of the city’s most influential families, which have been dominating the city’s political scene for decades.

But what we are going to see is a nasty battle ahead. At the rate the mayor and the congressman are trading barbs, the mayoralty election is seen to be one of the most interesting ever, as interesting as the one in Danao City where the Durano brothers are embarking on a dog-eat-dog race.

Both Rama and Osmeña have never tasted defeat in their political career. They have many victories under the BOPK but have become political enemies over the former’s style of management at the City Hall.

But a win will largely depend on how their respective networks operate. Rama seems to have a better connection with all city barangays, the fact that he is the mayor. But the congressman, aside from having most city officials under his party, has the name, the brand that he used since first venturing into city politics in 1988.