In Cebu, ruling LP faces rebellion
CEBU CITY—The ruling Liberal Party faces rebellion by key allies in Cebu over the failure of President Benigno Aquino’s party to deliver promises made in the 2010 elections, according to a key LP ally in the province.
Rep. Tomas Osmeña, of this city’s south district, told the Inquirer that LP national officials have been neglecting party members in Cebu.
LP national officials have not provided projects to members in Cebu. Congressmen, who have not been allied with LP in the past, are getting pork barrel projects for supporting the run of Rep. Feliciano Belmonte for Speaker.
“This coalition is now emerging as a political force unto itself. And the victims are the people who supported Noynoy (Mr. Aquino) for President,” said Osmeña.
Osmeña cited the case of Hilario Davide III, LP Cebu chair, who ran and lost the gubernatorial election in 2010.
Osmeña said Davide was promised by Mr. Aquino and LP national president Mar Roxas P250,000 a month in projects, which would start after the 2010 elections. But the promise has not been fulfilled, said Osmeña.
When reached for comment, Davide confirmed that there was such an understanding when he and Osmeña met with the President, Roxas and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad in Cebu.
He said he thought the release of the funds would be automatic only to be told later that he had go through the Presidential Management Staff, which is headed by Abad’s daughter.
Osmeña was among the first to endorse Roxas’ candidacy for president in 2010. When Roxas gave way to Mr. Aquino, he agreed to support Mr. Aquino on prodding by Roxas.
Osmeña and his party, Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), formed an alliance with LP and campaigned for Aquino and Roxas.
In the 2010 elections, Mr. Aquino got 980,000 votes in Cebu while Roxas got about a million votes.
The relationship between Osmeña and Roxas was strained last month following a heated argument at a coffee shop in Cebu City.
Roxas reminded the congressman that he has not been attending LP meetings compared with Osmeña’s erstwhile ally, Michael Rama, now city mayor.
“I said if the President doesn’t know what I did for him, attending those meeting will not make any difference. If he wants to, just kick me out,” said Osmeña.
“I am really pissed. But not to the point of punching him,” said Osmeña of Roxas. “We talked. But it (the relationship) was cold after that,” he said.
Osmeña has announced plans to challenge the reelection bid of Rama who had left BOPK last year after 19 years due to his disagreements with Osmeña.
The congressman said he and the rest of the BOPK cannot be part of LP because it would violate the local party’s rules.
In a party memorandum issued by Osmeña on Jan. 21, 1999, the top provision read: “BOPK does not pledge allegiance to any national party so we will not be subject to any kind of national party discipline. Our loyalty is directly to the people of Cebu City.”
