Mayor Cortes not alone; Biaño shows up to challenge Mandaue reelection

It would have been an easy reelection for Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes with no challenger in 2013.

However, a few minutes before the close of the filing of certificates of candidacy yesterday, lawyer Vic Biaño filed his bid with Benjamin Luage for vice mayor.

They had five candidates for city councilor under the Bagong Bayan Volunteer for New Philippines of former senator Richard Gordon.

Mayor Cortes enjoys the support of both his Liberal Party and the opposing One Cebu party of Gov. Gwen Garcia, who is not fielding a candidate against him.

The bid of Biaño, a former opposition councilor, came as a surprise as he was earlier touted to be only seeking the vice mayorship.

Mayor Cortes, who was credited for consolidating opposing political forces in Mandaue, is not running unopposed after all.

Mayor Cortes, meanwhile, said he wanted priority given by the next 6th district congressman to making Mandaue City a lone district.

After filing his own COC, Cortes said that if he’s given a second term, he will work for more infrastructure projects like school buildings, road and drainage projects and emphasize the needs of education.

To address perennial flooding in the city, Cortes said he will continue implementing drainage projects based on the city’s drainage masterplan and give high attention to traffic and road repairs.

Cortes’ entourage, with a drum and bugle corps parade of thousands of supporters, caused heavy traffic yesterday morning as they walked to the Commission on Election offic.

Before filing their COCs, Cortes, his slate and LP 6th district Rep. Luigi Quisumbing, and their supporters heard Mass in the St. Joseph Shrine.

Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede will again be Cortes’s runningmate. Their City Council slate is composed of Diosdado Suico, Beethoven Andaya, Demetrio Cortes Jr., Jose Jefferson Ceniza, Jimmy Lumapas, Emmarie Ouano-Dizon, Benjamin Basiga, Elstone Dabon and Editha Cabahug.

City Councilor Nenita Layese filed he COC ahead of them since she is out of the country.

Carrying an icon of the Sto. Niño, businessman Wilmer Oplado Zanoria filed his bid for a seat in the Mandaue City Council.

Although he did not succeed in the 2010 election , he said he is encouraged by the more than 30,000 votes he got then.

Zanoria said he would also campaign for Mayor Cortes.