Gwen to run in Vice President Binay’s party?

WILL Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia run as senator under the Vice President Jejomar Binay’s party in the coming national elections?

This seems to be the question that Garcia is considering after she learned that Vice President Binay is considering the governor as a possible candidate in the PDP-Laban’s (Partido Demokratiko Pilipino- Lakas ng Bayan) senatorial slate.

Garcia yesterday flew to Manila for a meeting. She, however, didn’t confirm or deny if she would meet Binay there.

“After all, this is really a great honor, and a great confidence (booster) coming from the most trusted public official in the country today,” Garcia said
During the weekend, PDP-Laban’s secretary general Jose “Joey” de Venecia III was in Cebu appointing local coordinators and meeting with new members.

De Venecia expressed that they are open to have a Cebuano in the slate but he did categorically state that the party has  invited Garcia to the party.

Instead, De Venecia lauded Garcia for being a “performer.”

Garcia also attended former president Joseph Estrada’s birthday last week in Manila where he described Binay as the “next president.”

The PDP-Laban and the former President Joseph Estrada’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) formed an alliance called the United Nationalists Alliance or (UNA).

UNA already has six candidates for their senatorial lineup: Sen. Koko Pimentel, former senator Miguel Zubiri, JV Ejercito, and himself. They are also considering Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Gringo Honasan.

De Venecia also said that he might pay a visit to Garcia this week.

Meanwhile, Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale, in a separate interview, said it will be BAKUD (Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya) Party president Danao City Vice Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III who will make the announcement for the party’s political plans, including hers.

Magpale told CDN that there is no definite schedule yet of the announcement since Vice Mayor Durano is out of the country.

Earlier, Magpale was rumored to be joining the Liberal Party (LP) since she was seen in several of its activities. /Correspondent CArmel Loise Matus