Torralba
not running for city
mayor, denies rift w/ Veloso   TORRALBA,
VELOSO | | Dismissing
reports of a "falling out" among its members and leaders, stalwarts
of the city Lakas-CMD claims the party remains a formidable organization and will
field its own mayoralty bet in next year's elections.
Former
city mayor Jose Torralba, chairman of the party's city directorate, bared over
dyRD's "Inyong Alagad" there are no conflicts within the ranks of Lakas.
Torralba likewise clarified his decision of yielding to City Vice Mayor Jose Antonio
Veloso as "the most probable" candidate for mayor in the May 2010 polls.
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Reports
surfaced that Torralba and Veloso are odds following the party's city directorate
meeting Wednesday last week at the residence of the former mayor where the vice
mayor was supposedly not invited.
The
report was flatly denied and was believed as an attempt to rock the party members'
relationship, a move engineered by some "insecure politicians in the city,"
Veloso said.
| | | "How
can I not be in the meeting when I was the one who proposed said meeting to ex-mayor
Torralba," Veloso stressed while saying the public should be watchful of
false news designed to create conflict between him and other party members.
City
councilors Leonides Borja, and Lucio Balbin, also Lakas members, were apparently
not in attendance in the said meeting. The two city lawmakers have sided with
the Sangguniang Panlungsod majority bloc allied with the city mayor, every time
the administration and opposition councilors locked horns on issues concerning
the city government. | Wednesday's
gathering was in fact suggested by Veloso who also sent the invitations to Lakas
members which included barangay chairmen.
Torralba
said he would rather take an active role campaigning for the party's ticket but
not as a candidate. Torralba, who served a total of 15 years as city mayor, cites
health reasons for abandoning political plans in the future.
The
former mayor indicated Veloso as a strong mayoralty contender but declined to
say who would be the vice mayor's probable running mate.
PARTY
BUILD-UP
Veloso
bared that last week's meeting was just a part of continuing efforts of the city
Lakas party to consolidate their ranks.
"We
have been holding meetings to strengthen and solidify the group, there are those
who manifested to join the party," according to Veloso.
Among
those who are bolting to Lakas is city Kag. Zenaido Rama, who ran under the city
mayor's ticket in two past elections.
Veloso
explained kagawads Borja and Balbin have been invited several times in their directorate
meetings, but failed to attend.
Torralba
claims that the political map in the province highly favors candidates of the
ruling Lakas, being the dominant majority party.
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