Sitoy eyes Congress seat for lone district

CEBU, Philippines - Saying he wants to loosen his grip on Cordova town, Mayor Adelino Sitoy confirmed yesterday his plan of running for Congress in the lone district of Lapu-Lapu City in the 2016 national elections.

In a press conference, Sitoy cited some of his accomplishments for Lapu-Lapu City during the earlier decades.

He said he made contributions to Lapu-Lapu City, such as scrapping the charging of toll fee at Mandaue-Mactan Bridge during the administration of former President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos.

Sitoy also said he served as a legal counsel of Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova against the Korean vessel M/V Sanko Elegance of Sanko Lines in the 1990 bridge mishap in the wake of typhoon Ruping, and eventually won the case at that time.

Sitoy is said to buy his sibling’s lot located in Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City and will transfer his residency in the said place.

“I might be residing in Barangay Gun-ob, and the final decision will be (made) between February and March,” he said.

Under Section 5 of Commission on Elections Resolution No. 9149, any Filipino citizen who wants to register, should be a resident of the Philippines for at least one year and when he or she intends to vote in a certain place, at least six months of residency should be implemented before the election proper.

In a recent conference, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza said she welcomes the interest of Sitoy to run for a higher position.

“This is a free country, iyahay lang ta og diskarte,” Radaza said.

For her part, Radaza said she did not feel threatened by Sitoy’s running. (FREEMAN)