Agnes, Bakud party to skip Gwen’s SOPA ‘to avoid a clash’

TO avoid a “clash”, Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale and her partymates in the Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (Bakud) will skip the State of the Province Address of Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia on July 20.

Magpale told reporters she was advised by 5th district Rep. Ramon “Red” Durano VI not to attend because an oath-taking of new allies of Garcia’s One Cebu party would also  be held during the event.

Durano is the newly installed Bakud chairman.

“To avoid a clash of both groups, we won’t attend. This would be the first time I won’t be attending the SOPA,” said Magpale.

She said they initially planned to attend but decided to withdraw in case the event turns into a political rally.

The SOPA will be Governor Garcia’s last before her term ends next year.

A bigger venue, the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), was booked to accommodate the guest list, which includes barangay captains, municipal and city officials of the province.

She also sent invitations to President Benigno Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar Binay, along with senators, governors and congressmen from various provinces.

Also invited were former Lakas presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro Jr., Interior and Local Governments Secretary Jesse Robredo, Health Secretary Enrique Ona, Energy Secretary Rene Almendras, Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.

Capitol spokesman Rory John Sepulveda said he didn’t know of any oath-taking to be done during the address and assured the SOPA would not be a partisan political activity.

“If they have doubts that it may become a partisan political activity,I will assure you it will not happen,” Sepulveda said.

Magpale earlier said she counts eight of the 15-member PB as allies, four of whom are blood relatives of Durano and partymates of Bakud.

Rep. Pablo John Garcia of Cebu’s 3rd district, said he wasn’t surprised by Bakud’s decision to skip the address.

“It’s a pity because the SOPA under the Local Government Code is a report of the governor to the people of what is happening in the province,” he said.

He criticized Bakud for engaging in partisan politics at this time.

“Elections are less than a year away, nag-ihap ihap na sila pila ila sa

Provincial Board when the PB should be working together,” Garcia said.(They’re already counting who’s on their side in the Provincial Board).

Congressman Garcia is running for governor in 2013. His opponent is the Liberal Party’s Hilario Davide III whose running mate is Magpale under a coalition of LP and Bakud.

Garcia was apparently referring to last Monday’s “head count” made by Magpale of allies in the Provincial Board.

Members openly tease each other by addressing One Cebu stalwarts like Thadeo Ouano and WIlfredo Caminero as “liberated”, amid speculation that they may shift to the Liberal Party..

This development occurred ase lawyers of competing sides of the Durano clan met in court over a dispute involving the P43 million payment of salaries for 250 casual workers.

At the Palace of Justice, Danao City Mayor Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr. appeared in a hearing of their petition for declaratory relief and a temporary restraining order on the Danao City Council to stop them from processing the release of payment to the casual employees.

The mayor blamed the council headed by Vice Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III for inserting the payment in this year’s budget.

The petition was filed at the Danao City Regional Trial Court (RTC) presided by RTC Judge Sylvia Aguirre-Paderanga.

Both parties agreed to hold the hearing in Cebu City where Paderanga also holds court.

Mayor Durano and his brother Danao City administrator Jesus “Don” Durano attended yesterday’s hearing.

“The insertions can never be presumed legal and operative. They can cause financial damage to the city of Danao,” the mayor’s lawyer Gloria Lastimosa-Dalawampu said.

But the council’s lawyer Guiller Ceniza sai that d including the 250 casual workers in the proposed could not be considered “insertions” since they are rendering services until now.

Both parties were given five days by the court to submit their memoranda before the request for the issuance of a TRO will be resolved.