Lolypop, slate file bids

inq 2016 election logoSupporters of Mandaue City Councilor Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon flocked to the Mandaue City office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as she and her lineup filed their certificates of candidacy yesterday.

Dizon jumped to the One Cebu party of the Garcia family after she was dropped by the Liberal Party (LP) in favor of Rep. Luigi Quisumbing of Cebu’s 6th district.

She, her running mate City Councilor Beethoven Andaya and 10 others were cheered on by supporters as they trooped to the Comelec office to file their candidacies.

Ouano-Dizon’s camp attended a 7:30 a.m. Mass at the National Shrine of St. Joseph with One Cebu gubernatorial bet Winston Garcia and vice gubernatorial bet Nerissa Soon-Ruiz yesterday.

At 9 a.m. at least 3,000 supporters wearing white and red shirts marked with “Ouano Kami, Anak sa Mandaue” and “Love Lolypop Ouano-Dizon” marched from the church to the Comelec office with a drum and bugle corp.

Ouano-Dizon is the daughter of former Mandaue City mayor and incumbent Provincial Board (PB) Member Thadeo Ouano who ran Mandaue City from 1998 to 2007.

Thadeo’s son Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano lost to outgoing Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes in the 2007 elections at the height of the controversy over the overpriced lamppost scandal.

Jonkie also filed a certificate of candidacy (COC) on behalf of his father under the One Cebu banner yesterday.

The younger Ouano said his father is confined at Chong Hua Hospital for severe diarrhea.

“He was supposed to be discharged last Tuesday but his doctor told him to rest,” he said.

Meanwhile students of the Mandaue City College complained about the noise generated by those who filed their certificates of candidacies at the nearby Mandaue City Sports and Culture Center since Monday this week.

“It all started yesterday (last Monday) when the Liberal Party (LP) brought a drum-and-bugle band but yesterday (last Tuesday) was much louder because One Cebu came with a sound system and a screaming crowd,” said Marivic Romero, a second year Business Administration student.

Romero said she and her classmates were taking their final examination at that time.

Dr. Leo Acibar, Mandaue City College Asst. Administrator of the Student Affairs Office, said they cannot do anything about the situation because the area is not owned by MCC alone.

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