Cuenco considers running for Congress anew

MORE than a year before the next elections, former congressman and now  Asean Secretary General Antonio Cuenco already expressed his plans of running for Congress again.

“I have a great desire to again continue serving my constituents,” Cuenco told Cebu Daily News.

Cuenco has served for three terms until 2007 as congressman of Cebu City’s south now being served by Rep. Tomas Osmeña.

He, however, said that his election plans would depend on his consultations with the barangays captains and the endorsement of his local political party, the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK).

He is also yet to discuss his plans with Osmeña, the head of BO-PK.

But he said that Osmeña may have already heard about it and he is not rushing things as the next election is still one and a half year away.

At least three names have floated for south district representative in the 2013 election. They are third-term councilors Jose Daluz and Rodrigo Abellanosa and lawyer Aristotle Batuhan.

“I dont know what his (Osmeña’s) plans are.  But my decision on whether or not to run will depend on future selection process, which would include the conduct of survey and consultations with their political leaders.

Cuenco, who arrived from Jakarta, Indonesia, on Monday, hosted a get-together with 12 south district barangay captains. He also gave pasalubongs, which included T-shirts from Vietnam and caps from Indonesia.

As Asean secretary general, he holds office in Jakarta and would come home to Cebu City at least once every three months.   He will fly back to Jakarta on Friday.

Cuenco said although he is no longer politically active, he still considers himself a BO-PK member.  He run under the local group during his reelection in 2007. He also supported all BO-PK candidates in the 2010 elections.

Meanwhile, Cuenco said he is saddened that Mayor Michael Rama has already cut his ties with BO-PK.

“I was hoping that they would reconcile but it looks like nga dili na.  I’ve talked to barangay captains and they told me nga dili na mahimo nga mag uli sila kay lawom na kaayo ang samad,” he said.