It’s Christmas at the office for Garcia family

PENDING the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) by the Court of Appeals, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and her family will spend Christmas at her Capitol office where she stayed in since Wednesday after being suspended.

“Well, I said, I will stay here, so I am still here,” the governor told reporters yesterday. Garcia petitioned the CA for a TRO against the suspension order issued by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The suspension stemmed from the complaint of usurpation of authority filed by the late vice governor Greg Sanchez in 2010.

At past 8 a.m. yesterday, barangay health workers visited Governor Garcia and serenaded her with Visayan Christmas carols.

Their head, Leni Bagol then presented a bouquet of red roses and embraced the governor, who sobbed and thanked them for their support.

Deputy House Speaker Pablo Garcia earlier said if his daughter opted to stay at the Capitol, they would be with her.

“Of course, I am saddened and this was handed down during Christmas time. As a father and for the rest of the family, we have to support our daughter,” he said.

The governor’s daughter and Capitol consultant Christina Codilla-Frasco said yesterday they made plans for a gathering at the Capitol with all family members.

Frasco said December 25 is her birthday. “I plan to celebrate birthday with my mom, my entire family and the Cebuanos who have stand firm in this political persecution,” she said.

Asked what her birthday wish is, she said she prayed that “truth and rule of law may prevail.”

“These difficulties and my family and Cebuanos face right now would be guided by our faith and the hope that in the end, goodness, righteousness and justness and not abuse of authority will prevail,” she told reporters.

Frasco said their youngest sister, Carissa Aznar is in Arizona and won’t join them this Christmas.

But she emphasized that she has been monitoring the situation and is backing her mother.

Acting Cebu Gov. Agnes Magpale said she won’t be spending her own Christmas at the legislative building.

In a press conference yesterday, she said she will be at home in Danao City with her family to spend Christmas.

Magpale said her son, Paulo and daughter, Ina is home for the Christmas season.

They were also there at the press conference in her office yesterday afternoon. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus