GOV. Gwendolyn Garcia may well be Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s worst enemy at present, but she can expect to get his support if she decides to run for vice president.
“You ask me if I will support her? Yes, of course! Good riddance. You can have her, Philippines,” Osmeña told reporters yesterday.
Garcia is reportedly being considered to be Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro’s running mate, but her camp said she will not run for vice president and will seek reelection instead.
Told about the mayor’s latest taunt, Capitol consultant on information and revenue generation Rory Jon Sepulveda answered: “Thanks, but no thanks because she is not running for vice president. At least he will support her, but as usual, for a crooked reason.”
“If he will run for vice president for (Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani) Fernando, I will personally support him,” said Sepulveda. “But wala ma’y nikuha niya. If naa lang (But no one is asking Tomas to run).”
Also yesterday, One Cebu confirmed Toledo City Mayor Arlene Zambo has joined the party, turning her back on former senator John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña.
Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu Province, 3rd district) said that Zambo and Toledo City Vice Mayor Rudy Espinosa, her father, are now with the local administration party.
Zambo could not be reached for comment.
Sonny Osmeña said the move did not surprise him, because Zambo has been friendly with the Garcias for a few years now.
Local alliances with national candidates remain fluid for now, but Mayor Osmeña said he hopes Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero will get together with Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.
“I like Chiz very much. As a matter of fact, I really like Chiz more than Noynoy. It’s only because Mar is there, and Noynoy is with him...that’s why I decided to support Noynoy.”
“I wish all these young blood people will get together, Chiz, Noynoy and Mar, because that’s what we need. Young blood and new politics, that’s what people are looking for,” said Osmeña.
“Junjun Davide is young blood, versus Tandang Sora,” Osmeña said.
The mayor said that Governor Garcia will have a graceful exit if she runs for vice president, because she “is in for a major upset in the province.”
He discussed the results of a local radio survey that asked Cebuanos whom they will support for governor. He said that City Councilor Hilario Davide III got 50 votes, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano got 42 and Garcia got three votes. (No other details were available on the survey.)
Davide’s resignation from the City Council takes effect tomorrow, but he has not decided yet if he will run for governor. His selection as Liberal Party chairman for Cebu prompted his resignation from the City.
“And if Junjun runs, you know what we will do? We’ll ask the Cebuanos to go out of their way to help Junjun,” the mayor said.
For their part, Congressman Garcia and Mayor Zambo formalized their alliance at the Toledo Arcade in a luncheon last Tuesday, witnessed by Provincial Board Member Ian Zambo and all the barangay captains of Toledo City.
At the beginning of the term, while Zambo and Governor Garcia started working together, the congressman was critical of the city mayor and questioned her sincerity.
“I just had to be convinced of her sincerity and she proved that in the past year, supporting the initiatives of the governor and upholding the programs,” Pablo John said.
Pablo John admitted, though, that it was also a political move.
Zambo has 22 barangay captains on her side, as opposed to One Cebu’s 16. Toledo City has the biggest voting population in the third district.
“I would be dishonest if I did not admit that this really strengthens One Cebu in Toledo City,” said Pablo John.
Sonny admitted the alliance is a loss to the opposition.
“I always gave them a free hand when it came to choosing candidates. Pablo John will demand to pick five councilors, which I never did,” said Sonny. (LCR/JGA)
No comments:
Post a Comment