CEBU Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said it was a party decision not to attend the July 20 State of the Province Address (SOPA) of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and not hers alone.
“We have respect for the governor. We really would have wanted to go,” Magpale said.
She said the Bakud party wanted to avoid “embarrassment” after Danao City Mayor Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr. announced that an oath taking of new allies of the Garcia’s One Cebu party would take place at the venue of the SOPA.
Nevertheless, Magpale told reporters she would raise the matter again to Bakud chairman Rep. Ramon “Red” Durano VI to reconsider their position about skipping the SOPA, which would be Garcia’s last in her term.
The vice governor said Bakud didn’t want to be present in an event that would turn into a “political rally” with the presence of heads of the United National Alliance like Vice President Jejomar Binay, former president Joseph Estrada and Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile.
In the One Cebu camp, gubernatorial aspirant Rep. Pablo John Garcia thanked Rep. Eduardo Gullas for giving his mayors a free hand.
“I also have a lot to be thankful to Rep. Gullas for,” he said.
“First of all that he has been very democratic and not begrudged his mayors in the lst district their right to express their support for my candidacy.”
Gullas, who is running for Talisay mayor next year, still has to declare his own stand.
Earlier, Gullas’ grandson Samsam said the congressman was in a “dilemma” whether to support Garcia or the Liberal Party’s candidate Hilario Davide III.
Gullas played a key role in starting discussions for an alliance between the Nacionalista Party of Sen. Manuel Villar and the Liberal Party, for which President Benigno Aquino thanked him in a private meeting last Saturday in the Mactan airport.
Bakud sealed a coalition with the administration Liberal Party during the President’s visit to Danao City, and broke off ties with One Cebu.
“We just want to avoid the embarrassment for both camps and also not cause discomfort to our new ally (LP),” Magpale said about skipping the SOPA.
Only one mayor in the 1st district is not allied with the Alayon party of Gullas – San Fernando Mayor Anotnio Canoy.
Alayon counts the loyalty of mayors of Talisay, Naga and Carcar cities and the municipalities of Sibonga and Minglanilla.