ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 2, 2013) – The local chapter of the United Nationalist Alliance has junked one of its senatorial candidates Mitos Magsaysay in Western Mindanao for allegedly snubbing the group when she visited and held her campaign sortie in Zamboanga City.
One UNA official said they felt insulted by Magsaysay’s rudeness when she snubbed the local chapter whose members expected her to meet with them as a protocol being party mates.
And worse, Magsaysay instead met with other candidates who are not members of UNA headed by former Zamboanga del Norte lawmaker Romeo Jalosjos, Sr. who is running for mayor in Zamboanga City.
Jalosjos, whose political clan has strong influence in Western Mindanao, has ordered all UNA chapters in the region to strike off the name of Magsaysay in all propaganda and campaign materials in the provinces of Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, including the cities of Dipolog, Pagadian and Zamboanga.
“Nabastos at nainsulto kami ng husto sa ginawa nitong si Mitos at dahil diyan ay nagalit si Nonong (Jalosjos) at ipinag-utos na huwag ng isama sa lahat ng campaign materials at propaganda ang pangalan ni Mitos at hindi lamang sa Zamboanga City ngunit sa buong Western Mindanao na kung saan ay malakas ang mga Jalosjos,” the official said.
“Siguradong lalangawin yan si Mitos sa Western Mindanao, lalo na identified pa siya kay Gloria (Arroyo). Yan ang resulta ng kanyang pambabastos at pagiinsulto sa lokal na UNA.”
There was no immediate statement from Magsaysay, whose real name is Maria Milagros Habana-Magsaysay, a known political ally of former President and now Pampanga congresswoman Gloria Arroyo. (Mindanao Examiner)
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