Source: Sunstar.com.ph
LAWYER Aristotle Batuhan seems to be the odd man out in the search for Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan’s (BOPK’s) official congressional bet in Cebu City’s south district.
That is, if one considers the recent statements of the party’s chief, Rep. Tomas Osmeña. Batuhan is among those in the list of BOPK’s south district “congressionables” together with Tomas’s wife Margot Osmeña and Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa.
“Margot doesn’t have to run,” Tomas told reporters the other day. “I think Bebot (Abellanosa) can handle it with the way things are shaping up.” Batuhan became but an afterthought for Osmeña, though, when he merely referred to him as not yet out of contention. Saying that “Bebot can handle it” means that, for Tomas, it is Abellanosa who can carry the BOPK’s torch in the south district and not Batuhan.
I know that Batuhan has been doing the rounds in the south district and reconnecting with his old leaders in the barangays. I don’t know, however, if his efforts have already been eclipsed by Abellanosa, who has been lobbying for the BOPK nomination since he realized he can no longer run for reelection for the city council. Still, I consider Batuhan a better material for the House of Representatives than Abellanosa.
Also Batuhan, if he is given BOPK’s backing, is in a better position to defeat the bid of former congressman Antonio Cuenco than Abellanosa. Batuhan has already shown in two previous congressional elections that he can go toe-to-toe with Cuenco. Abellanosa, though, has more campaign funds than Batuhan, and that would be an asset for BOPK.
Besides, Batuhan maybe with the Liberal Party (LP), which is allied with BOPK, but Abellanosa is a true-blue BOPK. And Abellanosa has not been known for his independence, which means he is more controllable, as far as Osmeña is concerned, than Batuhan. I doubt if Batuhan, who is a lawyer, would allow himself to become an Osmeña stooge.
Since all signs are pointing to Abellanosa getting the nod as BOPK official bet for Congress in the city’s south district, would Batuhan still be pursuing his congressional bid? Would he allow all his “rebuilding” efforts to go down the drain? And if he insists on running, would the LP bigwigs allow it? Doing so would mean he will be running against a candidate from an allied group.
To give the south district more choices, I think Batuhan should run for Congress in 2013, with or without BOPK support. If he does so, he can be considered a dark horse in a three-way battle. He can offer himself as an alternative to the moneyed Abellanosa and political veteran Cuenco.
Incidentally, Batuhan was one of the volunteer private prosecutors in the impeachment trial of former chief justice Renato Corona. He reacted to my column, “Impeachment trial subplot” that came out on June 2, 2012. He referred me to his blog (totolbatuhan.com) that carried a reaction by Carmen Basa, daughter of Jose Ma. Basa III, one of the original owners of Basa Guidote Enterprise Inc. Here are excerpts:
“Truth and justice prevailed! Dad believed in fighting for a cause and he believed in the justice system. The same justice system that somehow evaded him during his lifetime…This truly is a victory for the Filipino people and the nation. The country should be celebrating because this conviction shows the entire world that the Philippines is now open for business.”
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on June 08, 2012.
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