Durano fires back against brothers

GENERALS without troops.

That was how Danao Vice Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III described his estranged brothers Mayor Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr. and City Administrator Jesus “Don” Durano after the two accused him and his son of being “greedy” for power.

In a press conference during his birthday gathering, Nito responded to the latest broadsides issued in the family feud.

He noted that in the last barangay elections, the Bakud party won in 36 out of 42 barangays of Danao.

“They (his brothers) always hold press conferences where only two of them attend. Not one councilor is there or even just a barangay captain,” Nito said.

Meanwhile, Nito said he declined Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s invitation to renew Bakud’s alliance with One Cebu, considering Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale’s leaning towards the Liberal Party and the presence of Energy Secretary Rene Almendras’s in the Cabinet.

“I said to Gwen that if it were her who would run as governor, there is no problem at all when it comes to support but her term has already ended,” he said.

Nito said Pablo John Garcia wasn’t a factor in their tactical alliance.

“PJ was never part of the agreement of the alliance. Why do I need to ask permission from him now?” he said.

The vice mayor said contrary to their accusations, it was brothers Boy and Don who wanted to cling on to power.

He recalled that Don fielded his son for Cebu’s 5th district and another son for the Danao City Council while he ran for mayor. None of them won the election.

“It’s not a dynasty that was not chosen by the people because the people chose us. If the people did not like us, then we could not have won. The voters are not forced because we are practicing democracy,” Nito said in Cebuano.

He said Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale originally wanted to retire from her post but she was forced to assume as vice governor on the death of Gregorio “Greg” Sanchez.

Red said his uncle Boy couldn’t have won as mayor of Danao City in the last elections if it weren’t for the support of Bakud.

“We cannot choose our rivals in politics,” said Red in Cebuano.

In a press conference two days ago, Boy said even if they count on only six of Danao’s 42 barangays for support, this makes up 65 percent of the city’s voting population.

But Nito said Magpale wields considerable political clout in the 5th district.

“They never consider the political clout of Agnes. Even if they all join forces, they could not defeat Agnes’s clout,” he said.

Nito also counted in his corner Provincial Board (PB) members’ Ivy Durano-Meca, Jude Sybico, Peter John Calderon and Samboan Mayor Raymond Calderon, all relatives and supporters of Bakud.

Magpale said she heeded her son Miguel’s advice who said in the end of the day, they are all relatives.

“I liked the statement of my son and took lessons of humility from it. I’ve been in politics for 18 years so let the people of Danao decide. I just want to say that all is fair in love and war and politics,” she said.