Absence of politicians glaring at UNA event

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Is Vice President Jejomar Binay losing the support of officials in Cebu and the Visayas?

While some 10,000 supporters witnessed the Visayas launch—and mass oath-taking of new members—of Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) at the Cebu Coliseum here, it was a lackluster event insofar as local officials were concerned.

A streamer posted inside the coliseum stated “Welcome to Cebu! Binay Country,” but only two incumbent mayors from Cebu and one from Biliran came to the event.

The rest were mostly former officials wishing to make a comeback in the next elections.

Notable by their absence were the members of the One Cebu party and one of its members, Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia of the 2nd district.

In the 2013 elections, Binay’s party got the support of One Cebu in the province and Team Rama of Mayor Michael Rama in Cebu City.

When Garcia was fighting her suspension in December 2012 by refusing to leave the governor’s office, Binay with deposed president Joseph Estrada and former Sen. Ernesto Maceda showed up at the Capitol to show their support.

When reached for comment, Garcia said she was not able to attend the UNA event because of the final budget deliberations at the House of Representatives. She said Friday was also the last session day before Congress went into recess.

“I am with UNA because UNA is my party, but I cannot speak for One Cebu because that would have to be the party stand,” she said in Cebuano.

She said that while she remained with UNA, One Cebu had yet to decide which candidates to support at the national level.

Garcia clarified that she no longer headed the party as she had relinquished the leadership to her brother, Winston Garcia, the former general manager of the Government Service Insurance System who is said to be running for governor.

Winston earlier confirmed that he had talked to presidential aspirant Grace Poe and presented to her and her running mate, Chiz Escudero, his proposed projects for Cebu.

Binay, when interviewed by reporters at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, shrugged off the absence of the Garcias at the UNA-Visayas launch.

But he did not give a categorical answer when asked what happened to his alliance with One Cebu.

Rama and Toledo City Mayor John Henry Osmeña were the only name politicians who attended the event.

Biliran Mayor Grace Casil and some of her municipal officials were also at the launch. Rama brought with him some of his candidates in Cebu City.