Zambo is safe, friendly, clean—Lakas VP bet
Mayor Celso Lobregat and Lakas vice presidential bet Edu Manzano share insights concerning Zamboanga during the latter's courtesy call in City Hall Tuesday morning. (JOEY BAUTISTA)
Edu Manzano, vice presidential candidate of the administration Lakas party yesterday sought to clarify incorrect reports about his running mate’s cancellation of trip to Zamboanga citing the damaging effect of the story not only to the candidacy of Sec. Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro but to Zamboanga City.
“I don’t think that statement emanated from Sec. Gilbert Teodoro, kung kami po ni Sec. Gibo ay nakapunta sa Maguindanao habang may malaking problema doon, I don’t think we can compare Maguindanao to Zamboanga,” Manzano said in reaction to the story published in local dailies February 22 saying that Teodoro cancelled his supposed trip to this city yesterday because of security concerns.
Manzano, whose relatives have business ventures here, acknowledged that Zamboanga is the center of industry and commerce and that the city will not prosper and be where it is today if not because it is safe and quiet. “Hindi aasenso nang ganito ang Zamboanga kung hindi matahimik at mapayapa ang Zamboanga.”
He stressed: “Zamboanga City is safe, my family is here and if it wasn’t safe, I am sure they would be back in Manila.”
The vice presidential candidate paid a courtesy call on Mayor Celso Lobregat in City Hall yesterday morning where he expressed disbelief on the news item, published as banner story in one newspaper the other day.
The news item quoted the Lakas candidate for vice mayor in Zamboanga as challenging Mayor Lobregat to take drastic measures to solve the security problem in the city.
Mayor Lobregat strongly reacted to the news item and in a press conference urged the opposition party members in the city to spare Zamboanga from their internal political squabbles. “If you have your own political woes, do not implicate the city and put the city in a bad light.”
Lobregat furnished Manzano a copy of the February 22 issue of the newspapers where the incorrect story about Zamboanga’s security and Gibo was published, to hand over to the presidential candidate.
“I believe that Mayor Lobregat truly believes that such a statement never emanated from Sec. Gibo, they are friends and Gibo has been here a number of times,” Manzano said in an interview. “Possibly someone was misquoted or someone was taken out of context.”
He added: “I find Zamboanga City very friendly, clean and safe.”
Meanwhile, Manzano said Teodoro will be in Zamboanga City at a later date but that Gibo would join him in Sibugay later yesterday. He said they were together in Cebu for their campaign sortie Monday and from there the presidential candidate proceeded to Manila while he proceeded to Zamboanga. (Sheila Covarrubias)