Martinez-Salimbangon battle repeats itself in 4th district

IT will be a double rematch between the Martinez and Salimbangon clans in the 4th district in northern Cebu.

Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, who was belatedly declared the winner of the 2010 congressional race but never got to sit in office, will run against Rep. Benhur Salimbangon.

In Bogo city, his father Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr. will again be challenged by the congressman’s sister businesswoman Mariquita Salimbangon-Yeung.

Yeung has been more visible in Cebu City in the past two years as head of the Beautiful Cebu Movement, where prominent women in high society led a donation drive to facelift Osmeña Boulevard with new red brick sidewalks and Spanish-style streetlamps.

“I cannot run for Congress because I have a lot of plans and projects to finish,” said Mayor Martinez during the 888 Forum in the Marco Polo Plaza yesterday.

He said part of Bogo’s economic zone will be developed like the IT Park in Cebu City. For this he said he has hired an urban planner and architect from Manila, Paul Alcazaren.

Mayor Martinez, head of the Liberal Party (LP) in the 4th district, said their lineup is complete except for Bantayan town.

That is why his son Tining was in Bantayan island yesterday to thresh out concerns before the Oct. 5 filing deadline.

Congressman Salimbangon is set to file his COC at the Comelec Provincial Office on Oct. 3.

Meanwhile, Mayor Martinez sniped at the One Cebu party saying another nine years of the Capitol under the Garcias would be nine more years of “unnecessary” spending for the Suroy Suroy sa Sugbo program.

He said local government units spend P300,000 to P400,000 when the tourism caravan visits their area.

“It’s a waste of money,” he said.

He criticized the Capitol for spending over P100 million to develop the Maya Port in Daanbantayan town instead of the Pulangbato Port in Bogo City.

He said that when he was congressman of the 4th district, he was advised by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) not to place the port there in Maya because the port itself and vessels would be damaged as the site faces the open sea.

Martinez has been pushing for the development of the Pulangbato Port as an international port to attract investors to the Bogo economic zone in an estate formerly owned by the family of the late chief justice Marcelo Fernan.

Maya Port, on the other hand, is the main jump off point to Malapasuca Island, a world renowned dive spot.

Elections in the 4th istrict were hotly contest in 2010 election and the area was declared an election hotspot.