Cebu City takes down Imee Marcos billboard for politicizing Sinulog
Credit to Author: kadraneda| Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2019 04:36:07 +0000
MANILA/CEBU CITY — Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has ordered the dismantling of a billboard of Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos along General Maxilom Avenue in Barangay Carreta, saying the senatorial candidate was politicizing the Sinulog Festival.
The huge outdoor ad, as shown in a photo posted on Facebook by Osmeña, had Marcos’ name and face with the words “Sinulog Festival” and “Viva, Pit Senyor.”
“Trust me when I tell you I am doing you a favor by taking this tarpaulin down,” Osmeña wrote.
“The Cebuanos do not appreciate the politicization of the Sinulog. This won’t be earning you any votes and is doing you more harm than good,” he added.
Gov. Marcos,Trust me when I tell you I am doing you a favor by taking this tarpaulin down. The Cebuanos do not…
Posted by Tommy Osmeña on Thursday, January 17, 2019
Osmeña also said the move to take down Marcos’ billboard was “nothing personal,” even noting his own brother is also running for senator in the upcoming May elections but was not invited to the city’s celebrations.
Osmeña told INQUIRER.net he has ordered the removal of any political posters since January 10.
The Sinulog Festival is celebrated every third Sunday of January to honor Señor Santo Niño de Cebu.
In an earlier post, Osmeña pointed out that the Sinulog Festival is a religious event and not “a venue to campaign.”
“National candidates like anyone else are welcome to join in the celebration, but they will not be speaking nor will they be grandstanding on stage,” he wrote.
“The only star of the Sinulog is the Sto. Niño,” he also said.
The Sinulog is a religious event. It is not an excuse to get drunk in the streets, nor is it a venue to campaign….
Posted by Tommy Osmeña on Thursday, January 17, 2019
The election period for the 2019 midterm polls has officially started on January 13. However, the campaign period does not start until February 12.
INQUIRER.net is still trying to get the side of Ms. Marcos regarding this matter. /kga