MikeLigalig.com

By Bohol Chronicle

Dismissing reports of a “falling out” among its members and leaders, stalwarts of the city Lakas-CMD claims the party remains a formidable organization and will field its own mayoralty bet in next year’s elections.

Former city mayor Jose Torralba, chairman of the party’s city directorate, bared over dyRD’s “Inyong Alagad” there are no conflicts within the ranks of Lakas. Torralba likewise clarified his decision of yielding to City Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso as “the most probable” candidate for mayor in the May 2010 polls.

Reports surfaced that Torralba and Veloso are odds following the party’s city directorate meeting Wednesday last week at the residence of the former mayor where the vice mayor was supposedly not invited.

The report was flatly denied and was believed as an attempt to rock the party members' relationship, a move engineered by some "insecure politicians in the city," Veloso said.

"How can I not be in the meeting when I was the one who proposed said meeting to ex-mayor Torralba," Veloso stressed while saying the public should be watchful of false news designed to create conflict between him and other party members.

City councilors Leonides Borja, and Lucio Balbin, also Lakas members, were apparently not in attendance in the said meeting. The two city lawmakers have sided with the Sangguniang Panlungsod majority bloc allied with the city mayor, every time the administration and opposition councilors locked horns on issues concerning the city government.

Wednesday’s gathering was in fact suggested by Veloso who also sent the invitations to Lakas members which included barangay chairmen.

Torralba said he would rather take an active role campaigning for the party’s ticket but not as a candidate. Torralba, who served a total of 15 years as city mayor, cites health reasons for abandoning political plans in the future.

I think sakto na desisyon ni Mayor Joe hatag napud na niya sa lain he has done he's assignment and saludo ko nya.