MANItA, PHITIPPINES I WEDNESDAY 13 MARCH 20r 9

Sparks fly in Batangas ti

By Hananeel Bordey
A ienacious clash is
expebted for the Batangas
' 6ih District seat in tte House
of Representatiyes in
May as movie star
Batangas Bep. Vilma
Santos.Recto. matches
up with current Lipa City
-It'layor Meynard Sabili.
This will be the second
time that the Sabili cl'dn
challenges the superstar magic
of Santos-Recto af,ter the mayorls
wife, Belnadette, ran for
congresswoman
last elections and
lost. Santos-Recto
In a previo us
interview with
I
Sabili, he said he'
will pursue "change"
in Congress by
installing a "real',
representative of the people
at the House;'
"I did not feel that. That js I
why I aln runhing,'lSabjli said.

yeal suspension without pay on Sabili for

Sabili emphasized that it was not the first time that$ectols
camp made a move against him
turuel
the mayor vowed to give impo tfltde to
health care ard gender equality.
On the other hand; SantosReclo is running
for a secondterm in the newf ffeated districi.
Star
Referred to as the "Star for All Seasors'
due to her exemplary silver screen
pefonnances thmughthe yeaxs, SantosR€cio
had di$inguished heNelf in the political freld
and is cun'ently vice chaiman of the Ilouse
Committees on Globalization and Local
Govemment.
Recto, however, denied allegations
that he was meddling; with Lipa
City concerns and said he has not
spoken with any DILG official
with regard to Sabili's suspension.
Aniong the bills she shepherded axe the
0ccupational Safety and Health S'tandards
Law, New Social Security Services Act,
Exiended Passport Validity Act, Tax Reform
for Acceleration and Inclusion Laq Universal
I{ealth Care Aci, National ID $dem Act ad
the Bearded Mat€miw I€ave A(t.
SantosRecto was also a former Lipa City
mayor and Batangas governor.
the rivalry oftlrc Rectns and $re Sabilis in
Batargas has been legendarl. Iasl 17 Odober
or a few houxs before tlrc sta,rt ofthe filing of
the cedificates of candidary, the Nationalist
People's Coalition OIPC) party canceled
Sabilis nomination.
Sabili accused Sen. 'Ralph
Recto, Vilmd's husbanil;' of
making a ca to NPC seffetaxy
general Dong Mendoza to drop
hin ftom the party.
Sabili emphasized that it was
not ihe fiIst time that Redo's camp
made a rnove against him. He said in the
previous elections, he was kicked out ofthe
Lfteral Party and after hejoined the National
Uniiy Party, Recto again a$empted t0 cancel
his membership ftomthe pady. Recto's camp
renained quiet about the allegatiors.
Independent bet
Sabili will run as an independent c€ndidate
for the 2019 midterm elections.
0n 27 June 2018, the Ofrice of the
Ombudsman was supposed to impose a one
oppression and conduct prqtudicial to the
best intere$ of service.
Former Lipa Social Welfare Development
Ofrcer Teresiba Pesa fled a complaint again$
the incumbent mayor after she was ordered
reassigned and transferred to a difrerent
position.
this was not denied by Sabili as he said
. tlrc rea.ssignment was made due to efrorts to
cleair the ranlis in city ha[.
He receni,V asked Senator Recto to $op
intervening with local govemnent politics,
saying he received infomation he
was pXessudng ihe Depafthent
of th€' t{tefibfrind rbchl
Gd\€mmert (D[,G) to suspend
hirn inmediaieb/,
Recto, however, denied
all4diors that hewas medtlling
with Lipa City concerns and said
he has not spoken with any DII,Ci ofrcjat wiih
regard to Sabili's suspersion
the oinbudsman order for Sabili's
suspension was not served after the Court
of Appeals approved a 6Gday temporary
re#aining order.
Last Sunday, he hosted Hugpong ng
ra$ in Lipa
Paglabago's (HnP) campaigr
CiW,Batanp.
The sortie was attended by Davao
City Mayor Sara Drterte and several IInP
candidatps:

'Wnilr PAG€ 4