THE ACTING president of the Liga nga mga Barangay Kagawad ng Pilipinas (LBKP) Cebu City chapter yesterday said that only two parties will be recognized during their election on Feb. 16.Rey Salgado, who is also Punta Princesa barangay councilor, said that only those candidates who belong to the slates of Manuel Guanzon (Capitol Site) and Nicanor Malazarte Jr. (Suba) will be recognized. A third group, led by barangay Tisa councilor Jason Guardo, is out of the race after it failed to complete its slate and file their certificates of candidacies (COC) before the Jan. 31 deadline. Jonathan Guardo said that his younger brother Jason, who won as top councilor of barangay Tisa during the Oct. 29, 2007 election has the full support of the opposition. Jonathan said Jason was not able to submit his COC after their father, Jose Jr., died on Jan. 23. The Guardo family left for Surigao on Monday. Jose will be buried in Surigao today. “Several people have been pushing Jason to run but since our father died, we have not discussed his plans for the LBKP. We would have campaigned hard for him if we had the chance,” said Jonathan. Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña wrote the city's 560 barangay councilors last month to endorse Guanzon. Malazarte said he will seek election for LBKP president even without the mayor's help.
Fourteen slots are up for grab in the LBKP election on Feb. 16 at the Ecotech Center in Lahug. Barangay councilors will elect a president, executive vice president, secretary, treasurer, vice president for the north and south districts, and four board members each for the north and south districts. Salgado said that the Association of Barangay Councils, through its president Eugenio Faelnar, allotted P200,000 for the election. | 
