Mayor vows LP support despite debts to Garcias

His town may owe a lot to the Garcia administration but Carmen town Mayor Martin Gerard Villamor said he will deliver votes to Liberal Party-Cebu (LP-Cebu) candidate Hilario “Junjun” Davide III.

“I had no plans on changing parties this time,” he told Cebu Daily News in an interview during the pipe-laying for the bulk water project yesterday.

Villamor clarified reports that he took the microphone from acting Gov. Agnes Magpale in one of their campaign sorties.

He said Magpale has not yet attended their rallies because they have to schedule one next month.

Villamor said the Magpale referrred to maybe Provincial Board (PB) Member Miguel Magpale, who attended one of their rallies.

“Nagdako man ta nga courteous nga tao. Nganong mangbawi man ta ug (I was raised as a courteous person. Why would I take the) microphone?” the mayor said.

Villamor said while their family and the Garcia family have strong ties, he remains loyal to the Bakud party of the Duranos, including the Magpales.

He said the town is thankful to the Garcias especially to suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia after she poured in more than P30 million for infrastructure projects in his town.

These projects, Villamor said, will do the campaigning for Rep. Pablo John Garcia of Cebu’s 3rd district, who’s running against Davide.

Villamor said he remembered Governor Garcia attending the funeral cortege of his father where she walked three kilometers under the rain in going to the cemetery.

“My family finds it hard to support Davide because of the relationship of my family with the Garcia family,” he said.  “But nonetheless as president of the party, I am here to support Davide,” he added.

Villamor said he will invite the Garcias to cut the ribbon on the bulk water project since they facilitated the project.

But he said the Capitol still owes P60 million in royalties to Carmen town for the use of the water in the Luyang river. /Carmel Loise Matus, Correspondent