Eddiegul versus the Osmeñas
The 2013 elections is still a good one-and-a-half years away, but if reports are any indication, the local races could set the stage for the political unification of former senator John “Sonny” Osmeña and his brother, former Cebu governor and presidential economic adviser Emilio “Lito” Osmeña.
Lito is fielding his son, Mariano “Mimo” either as congressman of the 1st district, or as mayor of a major city. Meanwhile, Sonny is strengthening his political organization in Cebu’s 3rd district, pointing to a battle royale between him and incumbent Rep. Pablo John Garcia.
The move of the Osmeña brothers is significant because apart from having been out of the political scene for some time, they have also been at odds for the longest time.
Lito and Sonny appear to have smoked the peace pipe, as implied by reports that Sonny supports his younger brother’s move to field Mimo either as mayor of Talisay City or 1st district congressman, although Lito is interested in the congressional derby according to reports. Either way, it signals a frontal clash against incumbent Rep. Eduardo “Eddie” Gullas, the acknowledged political titan of the 1st district.
There are many factors why politicians would be keen on Eddiegul’s turf.
Talisay City is the gateway to Cebu’s south, and judging from investments pouring in Metro Cebu, especially in the Cebu City-owned South Road Properties (SRP), development will go southward. Investment and economic opportunities will be tremendous in a district that clusters three cities and three municipalities with a total population of close to 600,000.
In 2008, then Cebu City mayor and now Congressman Tommy Osmeña figured in a tiff with Eddiegul which left the former huffing and puffing over the claim of Talisay City officials to some 53 hectares of the SRP property. Tommy alluded to a “landgrabber” in his tirades after Eddiegul vowed to file a case against Cebu City if it sells reclaimed land claimed by Talisay.
If Lito is bent on challenging Eddiegul in 2013, Tommy won’t just watch in the sidelines. Recall that in 2007, he supported the bid of former Cebu City councilor Gabby Leyson who ran and lost to Soc Fernandez in Talisay City’s mayoralty race.
Time is not on Eddiegul’s side. At 81 years old, he no longer has the kind of energy needed in a gruelling match. Another factor is that his protégée, incumbent Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez will also bow out of the city in 2013.
Eddiegul has no plans to switch places with Mayor Soc and would now prefer to keep politics within the Gullas family. The lawmaker is poised to field son Didi for Congress and grandson Samsam for the local executive position. The political heirs-apparent are expected to trot the line of “championing Eddiegul’s accomplishments” but I wonder how voters will appreciate the young Gullases who have yet to prove their own worth in public service.
Meanwhile, the popularity of Mayor Soc is waning. The antics of adopted son, Joavan and a number of governance issues have taken a toll on the mayor’s future plans and practically reenergized the local opposition.
Still, Eddiegul is not a pushover. His name is not just a household word in this part of Cebu, but as main driver of the cityhood laws, he transformed the district into an economic hub. By “citifying” Talisay, Naga and Carcar, huge internal revenue allotments went into the local coffers, uplifting local economies and surrounding localities.
Cityhood, though, brought a host of problems and this is evident in Talisay City, especially in barangay Tabunok where vendors, tricycle, habal-habal and trisikad drivers battle it out with policemen every day to get a few square inches of space to vend.
After the city government closed down the old Tabunok public market including the area that served as tricycle terminal, vendors and drivers were forced to transfer to the new market place in barangay Lagtang. The closure became violent but many vendors defied the order and shifted instead to the nearby Nacario Trade Center, a private-owned facility which is close to the old market. Because many people prefer to transact in Tabunok, the trading in Nacario practically disabled the local government’s plan to clear the area and bring commerce to Lagtang. In the ensuing mayhem, Dr. Jesus Nacario and his wife filed a civil suit against the city government for forcing their tenants to transfer to the new market place.
In any decision, there are always winners and losers but the situation practically left all sectors gnashing their teeth.
Vendors sell fish and vegetables in the sidewalks of Tabunok, while policemen can only watch. In the evening, ukay-ukay merchants virtually take over the streets, making it tough for motorists to pass through. Meanwhile, vendors in Lagtang are crying over low sales because people prefer to buy their needs in Tabunok because it’s closer to the center of the city. Last time I heard, these sectors were lobbying with the mayor to reopen the terminal in the foreground of the old market place.
If Lito Osmena is setting his eyes on Talisay City and the first district, it could be that he has a good feel of the turmoil and the people’s rage arising out of the confusion.
What about Eddiegul’s stance in the impeachment of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona? It’s an intriguing question and leaves many people wonder whether or not P-Noy will serve Eddiegul and other lawmakers who did not impeach Corona, their comeuppance in 2013.
