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TWO candidates for councilors running under the slate of mayoralty bet Georgia Osmeña want to back out from race.
Former barangay captain Rodigilio Arinasa Sr. sent a message to Georgia yesterday that he would no longer pursue his bid for councilor in the south district.
The Cebu City Commission on Election (Comelec) also received a notice of withdrawal of candidacy from Erlinda Sayson, another councilorial candidate of Georgia who is running under the Lakas ? Kampi ? CMD.
Arinasa told Georgia that since he filed his candidacy, the project requests of his wife Marinisa, who barangay captain of San Jose, had been denied by her brother, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
Their fuel allocation was also cut off.
His son-in law, who is working at the mayor's office, was allegedly pressured by some city officials.
He said he was afraid that his son might be fired from his job if he continued with his bid.
?My family asked me not to proceed even if it is hurting on my side but I have to prioritize my family more than anything else,? Arinasa told Georgia in his letter citing the reasons for his withdrawal.
?But rest assured that (I will) support you and pray for you to win this election for a change in the politics in this city,? he continued.
Tomas denied pressuring Arinasa to back out from the race.
?There is no pressure on my part if Arinasa runs or not. He ran before and lost big. He is just one of the previous losers - recycled for whatever he is worth. I never pressured him to withdraw. But clearly, others in the BO-PK (Bando Osmena-Pundok Kauswagan) resent the sense of betrayal being a balimbing who switches (side) like an opportunist. He should not blame others from looking at him with resentment,? Tomas said.
He said that although Arinasa's son-in-law had been working at the Mayor's office for two years now but he does not even know what he looks like and would not know if he was a good employee or not.
?Unlike my cum laude's at the mayors management team, he came in as a political accommodation and so his reason for being at City Hall no longer exists and Arinasa should not gripe over this,? he said.
Cebu City Councilor Augustus Pe, Jr. said there was a request for furniture and fixtures for the barangay hall from Captain Arinasa through his office. When he asked the mayor for it, Tomas turned it down.
Pe advised Arinasa to ask Tomas to reconsider his decision.
Tomas said it is the decision of the local executive to give fuel allocation to the barangays or not.
?The city has many other priorities to consider and it has its own buses to service the people,? he said.
Aside from Arinasa, Sayson has also decided to back out from the councilorial race but for some personal reason.
In her withdrawal letter, she cited work pressure, family and other commitments as her reasons for backing out.
Georgia said she asked Sayson to withdraw her candidacy because Sayson was suffering from hypertension and may not take the pressure of the rigors of the campaign.
?I asked her to withdraw she has hypertension but I will have to replace her but for Arinasa, what can we do? Kawawa naman,? Georgia said.
