THE former spokesman of defeated presidential bet Sen. Grace Poe and now reelected Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian says the local government is excited to work hand-in-hand with incoming President Rody Duterte.
This as Mayor Gatchalian strongly advises his immediate political rival, trounced mayoral bet Rep. Magi Gunigundo, to better respect the will of the local electorate when they overwhelmingly voted for him during the last May 9 polls.
Mayor Gatchalian’s statement comes in the wake of reports that Gunigundo had asked for a temporary restraining order before the Commission on Elections citing alleged massive cheating and vote buying committed by the Gatchalian camp and claimed, at the same time, that the City Board of Canvassers had committed grave abuse of discretion when it ‘prematurely proclaimed’ him (Gatchalian).
Instead of entertaining Gunigundo’s claims, the low-key mayor reiterates that the former should respect the will of the people and ‘the good congressman must learn the meaning of accepting defeat.’
With an edge of over 125,000 votes against Gunigundo’s, Mayor Gatchalian says it’s hugely clear that the local electorate had chosen him in a landslide fashion over the District 2 lawmaker during the last polls which he described to be ‘clean and honest’ and “the Comelec, poll watchers and the voters themselves could attest to this.”
“Nakakaaliw na ang mga kalaban namin. 125k votes nilamang natin ayaw pa din tumigil. Time to move on. The Valenzuelanos have spoken. Respect,” he’s been quoted as saying.
He says his administration will now focus on various projects and programs especially those that will directly benefit the city’s poor sector. “If during the first term, we placed a lot of focus on primary and secondary education, now we will complete the spectrum and work heavily on tertiary education. We will launch the new Pamantasan soon. This new Pamantasan will not only have the best public college facilities in the country, but, at the same time, carry a strong math and science based curriculum,” the mayor says.
Mayor Gatchalian says the city government is much eager to work with the incoming administration of Duterte who outvoted by a landslide all his archrival in the presidential race including earlier favorite, Poe, whom the mayor had served as a spokesman for the duration of the political campaign.
The city is one of the local government units that will surely be a partner in nation-building with presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte since ‘Valenzuelanos’ have spoken, according to him. GOOD RIDDANCE/ARLIE CALALO
