FIRST District congressional bet Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin ‘Kikang’ Uy skipped a much-awaited face-off among congressional candidates at the Jesuit-run Xavier University to join politicians in a beeline in Quezon City to seek the endorsement of the influential Iglesia ni Cristo.
Organizers of the Pag-ila 2022 congressional forum last Wednesday said Uy sent word at the eleventh hour that he had to go to Metro Manila and skip the forum for congressional candidates organized by the civil society group Lihuk Movement, the Commission on Elections (Comelec), and the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel).
Uy is widely perceived as the man to beat in the congressional race in the city’s 1st district. He is seeking to succeed his father, Rolando, the incumbent representative of the Cagayan de Oro’s 1st District and the mayoral candidate endorsed by outgoing Mayor Oscar Moreno.
Nesto Banuag Jr., lead convenor of the Lihuk Movement said the Comelec first informed the forum organizers about Uy’s short notice, and the Office of the Vice Mayor subsequently sent them a letter to explain why he decided to skip the face-off.
Uy staff told reporters that Uy had an appointment with officials of Iglesia ni Cristo at 3 pm on the same day, Wednesday.
His opponent, Councilor Lordan Suan, confirmed that candidates have been meeting with INC leaders hoping to get an endorsement from the religious group as a bloc.
Suan said he too went to the INC office a day earlier but did not say he got an endorsement just like he did in the 2019 elections.
“I thank them for supporting me in the 2019 elections where I won as councilor,” Suan said.
Taking advantage of Uy’s absence, Suan scored brownie points questioning how the City Council stalled his investigation on how the Covid-19 aid package was spent by the Cagayan de Oro government.
Independent candidate Tito Mora, a businessman, offered insights into how technology can help implement the freedom of information in all government transactions.
In the second round of the forum, Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez who is running for reelection for the 2nd district of Cagayan de Oro said if re-elected, he would file a bill seeking to grant a 50-year franchise for ABS-CBN.
Rodriguez said the absence of ABS-CBN and its regional TV stations is felt during typhoons and other disasters.
“The media company paid their taxes and have been our source of information. We need them back on the air,” Rodriguez said.
Businesswoman Irene Floro also batted for more cash aid packages for small businesses and vendors that were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last Wednesday’s face-off among contenders in the city’s two congressional races was one of four forums organized by the Lihuk Movement this month. The first was for candidates for city council seats held on April 6.
