Caloocan’s Recom endorsed by INC; Malonzo unfazed
May 5, 2004 | 12:00am
The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), noted for its last-minute endorsement of candidates of its choice in previous elections, has chosen this time to throw its solid support behind the bid of former Caloocan Rep. Enrico "Recom" Echiverri for city mayor.
Immediate past mayor Reynaldo Malonzo, however, is unfazed, saying it could be a blessing in disguise, convinced that his wife Gwendolyn "Gigi" Emnace-Malonzo, now running for mayor, will win it for all of them.
The INC support, sources said, meant a conservative 30,000 votes to a high of 50,000 numbers that the report yesterday brought an uneasy calm in the camps of Echiverri’s rivals.
Caloocan City has over 500,000 registered voters, some 300,000 of them in District 1, which Echiverri represented in Congress.
"I thank them (INC) for standing solid behind my candidacy. I believe that they chose me among the others because they believe that we have the will and the capacity to reform Caloocan and bring it back to its former glory days," Echiverri told The STAR. Malonzo’s former secretary also called on his rivals for sobriety and to desist from any acts of harassment, intimidation and deceit to promote their candidacies.
Earlier, the 10-million strong INC also named five Metro Manila re-electionist mayors in their favored list — Quezon City’s Feliciano Belmonte Jr. (Lakas-CMD), Manila’s Lito Atienza (LP), Makati’s Jojo Binay (PDP-Laban), San Juan’s JV Ejercito ((KNP) and Pasay’s Wenceslao Trinidad (PMP).
Echiverri (KNP) said he received a call at around 10 a.m. last Sunday from the INC central office in Quezon City informing him of his being included in the list.
Malonzo, when reached for comment, said the choice was discretionary on the part of INC. The mayor added that this was no reason for Echiverri to rejoice because even without the INC vote, he said he won as mayor in the 1998 and 2001 polls with only his wife, making the big difference in picking up the slack with the non-vote of the INC. He said his wife remains his lucky charm and strongly believes both of them will make it, with his wife taking most of the credit.
"I did not get their (INC) support when I ran for councilor in 1988, for vice mayor in 1992, and for mayor in 1995. Neither did Echiverri (for congressman) in 1998 nor (former Caloocan Rep. Edgar) Erice in 2001. But we (three) won our battles when Gigi campaigned for us in all those years," Malonzo told The STAR.
"Maybe God has a better plan for us to win this one, maybe sweeter and more convincing, even if (the win) will not be a majority vote," Malonzo said of their winning chances.
Local analysts said that with the INC support, Echiverri may have the edge "but only if no massive cheating takes place" in the May 10 polls. Echiverri relayed fears that the opposing camps are "out to win at all costs and that includes massive cheating."
Immediate past mayor Reynaldo Malonzo, however, is unfazed, saying it could be a blessing in disguise, convinced that his wife Gwendolyn "Gigi" Emnace-Malonzo, now running for mayor, will win it for all of them.
The INC support, sources said, meant a conservative 30,000 votes to a high of 50,000 numbers that the report yesterday brought an uneasy calm in the camps of Echiverri’s rivals.
Caloocan City has over 500,000 registered voters, some 300,000 of them in District 1, which Echiverri represented in Congress.
"I thank them (INC) for standing solid behind my candidacy. I believe that they chose me among the others because they believe that we have the will and the capacity to reform Caloocan and bring it back to its former glory days," Echiverri told The STAR. Malonzo’s former secretary also called on his rivals for sobriety and to desist from any acts of harassment, intimidation and deceit to promote their candidacies.
Earlier, the 10-million strong INC also named five Metro Manila re-electionist mayors in their favored list — Quezon City’s Feliciano Belmonte Jr. (Lakas-CMD), Manila’s Lito Atienza (LP), Makati’s Jojo Binay (PDP-Laban), San Juan’s JV Ejercito ((KNP) and Pasay’s Wenceslao Trinidad (PMP).
Echiverri (KNP) said he received a call at around 10 a.m. last Sunday from the INC central office in Quezon City informing him of his being included in the list.
Malonzo, when reached for comment, said the choice was discretionary on the part of INC. The mayor added that this was no reason for Echiverri to rejoice because even without the INC vote, he said he won as mayor in the 1998 and 2001 polls with only his wife, making the big difference in picking up the slack with the non-vote of the INC. He said his wife remains his lucky charm and strongly believes both of them will make it, with his wife taking most of the credit.
"I did not get their (INC) support when I ran for councilor in 1988, for vice mayor in 1992, and for mayor in 1995. Neither did Echiverri (for congressman) in 1998 nor (former Caloocan Rep. Edgar) Erice in 2001. But we (three) won our battles when Gigi campaigned for us in all those years," Malonzo told The STAR.
"Maybe God has a better plan for us to win this one, maybe sweeter and more convincing, even if (the win) will not be a majority vote," Malonzo said of their winning chances.
Local analysts said that with the INC support, Echiverri may have the edge "but only if no massive cheating takes place" in the May 10 polls. Echiverri relayed fears that the opposing camps are "out to win at all costs and that includes massive cheating."
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