Sonny O wins, but snubs his proclamation

John H. Osmeña,  the former senator whom many thought would retire when he lost his reelection bid in 2004, is back in the saddle.

The sharp-tongued  78-year-old Cebuano won the mayoralty race in Toledo City.

Osmeña ended over two decades  of rule by Mayor Aurelio Espinosa. He won  by a margin of at least 4,000 votes. The mayor’s daughter, Vice Mayor Arlene “Daydee” Zambo also lost  her reelection bid to Osmeña’s runningmate, former 3rd district Rep. Antonio Yapha.

Osmeña  snubbed his own proclamation yesterday  in favor of  going to Cebu City to meet with his lawyers to determine how they will contest the election results.

“I am very disappointed with Comelec in the canvassing. I strongly suspect Comelec was instrumental in the manipulation,” he said.

Osmeña said that on the night of the elections, seven of his candidates for councilor were winning, but in the final results only three made it./Carmel Loise Matus and Joy Cherry Quito