As bopk bet for congressman: Younger Cuenco not acceptable to Tomas

CEBU - Former South District Councilor Ronald Cuenco is not an acceptable replacement for his father Rep. Antonio Cuenco, who is now on his third and last term as congressman, said Cebu City Mayor on-leave Tomas Osmeña.

Osmeña said that the younger Cuenco cannot run under the banner of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), which he organized back in 1988.

Acting Mayor Michael Rama, who has been annointed by Osmeña as his successor to the mayoralty in 2010, said there is no problem for him if Cuenco would want to become member of the BOPK, because he used to be part of the group during his stint as councilor.

Rama even recalled that it was Cuenco, who fought back against the councilors who decided that he will be stripped of his chairmanship for the committee on education while he was still a councilor under the administration of then Mayor Alvin Garcia.

Osmeña and the South District Rep. Tony Cuenco are not in good terms after the latter abandoned the barangay captains when he went abroad during the barangay elections last year.

After the 2007 barangay elections, Osmeña stopped communicating with Cuenco citing his disappointment at the apparent failure of Cuenco to be there for their supporters.

Rama said if the BOPK would admit the young Cuenco, he is willing to give him the chance to be with the group. But a city official explained that the BOPK allies would always listen to Osmeña.

“Kon unsay gusto sa mayor, motahod ang mga sakop kay si Osmeña man maoy giilang coach sa grupo,” the official said.

Congressman Cuenco claimed that many of the 34 barangay captains in the south district have asked his son, who is still in abroad, to return to the country to replace him.

There were talks that Presidential Management Staff Director General Cerge M. Remonde is being eyed by the BOPK to be its candidate for the south district.

But Osmena said, Remonde and Councilor Gerardo Carillo are both acceptable to him, but it’s too early to discuss it right now.

Carillo has also expressed his interest to seek the congressional seat of the south district. — Rene U. Borromeo/NLQ   (THE FREEMAN)