Two Osmeñas will be running for the Senate, relying on the ethnic Cebuano-speaking vote to get them national support.

A third made good his threat to seek the Cebu City mayorship in the hope of luring a long-time nemesis to fight him there.

“I want to put the economic debate in perspective,” said 71-year-old Emilio “Lito” Osmena, former Cebu governor, who envisions a strong middle class, scrapping income tax and customs duties, and bringing in foreign investors.

“The economic agenda must be based on zero tolerance for graft. We don't want another Gloria,” he told Cebu Daily News.

The real estate developer, widely credited for the Cebu economic “boom” during his Capitol term in 1988 to 2001, plans to run for the Senate as a solo candidate of Promdi, the party he founded on issues of local government autonomy and rural development.

His cousin, former senator Serge Osmeña, 65, filed his certificate of candidacy yesterday in Manila. He's running as an independent, after breaking new ties with the Liberal Party over a disagreement with Sen. Noynoy Aquino's group and leaving the side of Sen. Chiz Escudero as his adviser in the National People's Coalition. Serge served two terms as senator until 2007.

Will the public find two Osmeñas in the national legislature a disturbing reminder of a political dynasty?

Lito Osmeña said he was sure the public “won't begrudge” him or his cousin for offering to serve, when Cebuano speakers in the country “account for 40 percent” of the population and have “zero representation” in the Senate when “they should have six seats.”

“If I were Sonny, I would run for senator as well,” he said.

“Three Osmeñas in the Senate – why not?”

Elder brother John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña, 74, filed his certificate of candidacy yesterday for mayor of Cebu City.

Wearing a blue polo shirt with a big “S” like the superman logo, the former senator said he was motivated to run, partly from a desire to egg long-time nemesis Winston Garcia to face him in an election for the top City Hall post.

“One of the motivations in filing my COC is to get him to file also so that the GSIS will be liberated from his kleptocratic way of governing it,” said Sonny.

If Garcia runs for mayor, he'd have to resign from his post as GSIS president, and “finally be subjected to the harsh judgment of the people.”

He didn't announce a running mate but said he would like Cogon-Pardo barangay captain Eugenio Gabuya, a former city councilor, to be his vice mayor.

Family relations among the three Osmeñas are far from ideal, and the election ahead will test their ability to stick to issues, and not get drawn into their colorful clan disputes.

Lito Osmeña said he would support and “complement” the candidacy of Serge, although Serge had undermined Lito's 1998 presidential bid by running as vice president to Alfredo Lim. The businessman yesterday said nobody will hear him speak ill of his cousin or elder brother, Sonny, whose long-running word war with Lito, attributed to sibling rivalry, has quieted down in recent years.

Lito spoke with the same vigor as he did in his Promdi heydey, but now walks with a cane, a reminder of his brush with Guillane-Barre syndrome, a rare ailment that affects the nervous system, which sidelined him several years ago.

Yesterday, he said he was financially and physically prepared to run a nationwide campaign , but this time would use more exposure on TV, radio and new media, and be more selective about whereto make personal appearance for the campaign stomp.

Lito said Promdi's status as a political party was affirmed by the Supreme Court in a decision and counted on support of members of Promdi's governing body which include Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, Rep. Raul del Mar and former Promdi partylist rep. Joy Augustus Young.

Promdi's governing body also include Winston Garcia, Vice Gov. Greg Sanchez, Rep. Pablo Garcia and Capitol consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda, who is Promdi secretary general.

Lito Osmeña said he intends to tender his certificate of candidacy at the Comelec national office in Intramuros, Manila between today and Dec. 1.

While he said he'll “probably” endorse Noynoy Aquino for president, because he represents “honesty in government” as a legacy of Cory Aquino “I'm not going to affiliate with any of the major players until I am certain who are closest to the Promdi agenda.”

“So far I'm not impressed by the vices (vice presidential candidates)”.

For the Cebu election, Lito said he was supporting Hilario Davide III for Cebu governor but no Vice Gov. Greg Sanchez Jr. as his running mate, a Liberal Party tandem that will be announced at 10 a.m. Today.

In Cebu City, Lito supports the Bando Osmeña - Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) candidates , which would includes cousin, Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who is running for congress to represent the city's south district.

“When he campaigns, he would also be inviting his leaders coming from other parts of the country to come to Cebu.

“It's not going to be a physical campaign (like a local election). In a senatorial campaign, what you need is to have a bailiwick,” he said, relying on Cebuano-speaking voters that account for “40 percent” of the population.

He said that he does not intend to criticize his opponents when he campaigns.

“I will be more listened to when I will not entertain any negative campaign. You will not hear me answer (an insult) or hear me accuse. I will concentrate on how to get the economy moving,” he said.

Recalling his experience during the administration of former president Corazon Aquino and when he was Cebu governor, he said he saw “how easy it was for us to recover from the destruction of Martial Rule”.

As chairman of the flagship projects committee, he said he saw how fast the economy recovered and how fast investments were brought into the country.

However, to date, “there is no focus (in the national leadership)”.

“There seems to be less understanding among our national leadership what the real issues are,” he said.

If elected senator, Osmena said his focuses would be influencing policies and laws on local autonomy, industry growth, infrastructure and job opportunities.

A cornerstone of his platform, he said, is “zero tolerance for graft” because “excessive greed” corruption would bring down any government as well.

“What is important is for government to recognize that in the sourcing and application of funds, one has to be efficient. And to the degree that you are efficient in this is going to be the degree of your success.”