Ex-Pasig mayor eyes comeback

THE INCUMBENTS—Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte—launch their bid for a third and last term, vowing to “continue what we’ve started.” JOAN BONDOC

Was it a grand political rally disguised as a street party?

The entire stretch of Caruncho Avenue in Pasig City was closed to traffic yesterday with a stage set up in front of city hall for a “Blu Parade and Concert” with the theme “Happy City, Pasig City.”

The event, however, drew at least a thousand participants, most of them in shirts bearing the words “Mr. Serbisyo,” referring to former Mayor Robert “Bobby” Eusebio who wants to succeed his wife, incumbent Mayor Maribel Eusebio, and “ZumBobby Aerobics.”

The emcee also repeatedly shouted “Twerk it like Bobby” during the program.

Sought for comment, Robert Eusebio, who filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) 30 minutes before the deadline, said that they just supported the event by providing a sound system.

He added that the concert had been organized by a youth group advocating the protection of the environment.

With Robert’s mayoral bid, the Eusebios are poised to continue their over two-decade-old hold on city hall. They first came to power in 1992 with the election of Robert’s father Vicente as the city’s chief executive. Since then the position has been occupied by Robert, his mother Soledad and currently, wife Maribel.

According to Robert, should he win in his bid, he would “continue the projects” started by his wife and support the national government’s efforts in rehabilitating Pasig River.

Businessman Odylon Ramos is the only independent candidate running against him for Pasig mayor next year.

Robert, who belongs to the Nacionalista Party, did not field any vice mayoral candidate to challenge incumbent Vice Mayor Iyo Christian Bernardo of the Liberal Party. Bernardo, on the other hand, will be running against independent candidate Baltazar Iglesias.

Meanwhile, the congressional race for Pasig will be a three-way race among Councilors Christian Sia, Ricky Eusebio and Mons Romulo, sister of incumbent Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo.

Two hours before the deadline for the filing of COCs, actress Coney Reyes’ son with actor Vic Sotto, Victor “Vico” Sotto, filed his COC for city councilor.

In Quezon City, three candidates are running against incumbent Mayor Herbert Bautista for the city’s top post.

They are civil organization leader and Anti-Trapo Movement founder Myrleon Peralta, radio broadcaster Alexander Lague and nongovernment office worker Martin Sanchez Jr.

On the other hand, Bautista’s running mate, incumbent Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, is facing four challengers: broadcaster Rolando Jota who lost to her in the 2013 elections; businessman Henry Samonte who lost to Bautista in 2013; and businessmen Allan Bantilo and Glenn Nicanor Acol.

Bautista reiterated that after consulting with family and friends, he opted to run for reelection instead of pursuing his original plan to run for the Senate to “continue what we’ve started.”