At Davao City�s Sasa village, the neighbors and coworkers of Joselito Cayetano are stumped by his decision to run for the Senate. They were stunned when he added the second name �Peter� to his certificate of candidacy. Alan Peter Cayetano, the opposition congressman who is running for senator, is not amused.
Joselito Cayetano, a truck driver at Sasa Wharf, runs for the Senate. He will likely spoil the chances of senatorial candidate Alan Peter Cayetano
By Grace S. Uddin
davaotoday.com
DAVAO CITY— What�s in a name? A lot. Especially when it�s election season and rival political groups, as shown in past elections, may use namesakes as a ploy to confuse voters and supporters to reduce their rivals candidate�s chances of winning.
Take for instance the case of Joselito “Peter” Cayetano, the supposed namesake of Taguig-Pateros Representative Alan Peter Cayetano, who is a vocal critic of the Arroyo administration, particular First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.
Neighbors and relatives in an urban poor village in the Sasa Wharf complex here were stunned when they learned early this year that Joselito, 41, is running for senator in the May 14 elections.
�He only goes out of their house when he had to buy something,� said one neighbor. The neighbor said Joselito was never involved in politics before, not even in the barangay (village) or purok (neighborhood) level.
To hear Joselito run announce his intention to become senator was quite a shock because, according to the neighbor, Joselito�s only involvement in their village is in playing street basketball.
But what stunned neighbors was when Joselito, whom most knew as �Jojo,� added the name �Peter� in the certificate of candidacy he filed with the Commission on Elections.
�This man has no idea about politics,� said Florenda Saluta, 37, Joselito�s friend and kumare, who have always known him as Jojo.
These statements by his friends and neighbors tend to bolster the allegation by Alan Peter Cayetano that Joselito “Peter” Cayetano is not just a nuisance candidate � Joselito, according to him, is being used to undermine the congressman�s senatorial candidacy.
2007 Elections
