Cebu’s Gwen ‘leaves’ UNA to back Digong

CEBU CITY—Choosing to heed the decision of her local party and her family and the clamor of Cebuanos to support a presidential candidate from the Visayas, Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia said she had temporarily left the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) to support the bid of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

UNA is fielding Vice President Jejomar Binay in the presidential race.

“I can’t be with UNA if I am supporting Digong (Duterte). That is why I am taking a leave of absence purely for that reason and no other. It was quite a difficult decision to make,” Garcia told Cebu Daily News (CDN) in a telephone interview.

She clarified that she was not bolting the party and was only filing a leave of absence until the elections are over.

Garcia said she informed Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco, UNA president, about her decision on Saturday. Her leave took effect on the same day because she was not required to submit a letter formalizing her intention, she said.

She said Tiangco “understood” her position that there was no other way but to come out openly as a Duterte supporter.

“Cebuanos are looking at me. I was governor of Cebu for nine years. I can’t just stay silent. My voice is a voice many seek to hear,” Garcia said.

She said Tiangco told her that she can “come back” any time she wishes. UNA has welcomed her and One Cebu, she said.

The Garcia family-led One Cebu, which the lawmaker founded in 2007, recently announced it was supporting Duterte for president. Duterte is running under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

The announcement came about two weeks after the local party severed ties with UNA.

One Cebu and UNA formed an alliance in February, but the former broke the partnership after the latter was found to have been allegedly cavorting with candidates from the opposition. One Cebu officials also said UNA had failed to inform the local party about its sorties in the province.

Garcia, who is among the founding members of UNA, said she had not spoken with Binay regarding the matter, but said Tiangco assured her that he would discuss her situation with the Vice President.

“Before this, my relationship with the Vice President was very warm. I don’t think my decision will change. He has been a true friend … and has been with me through thick and thin,” Garcia said.

Binay has been very supportive of Garcia since and came to her aid when she was suspended from office as governor in 2012.

The lawmaker’s brother, One Cebu chair and gubernatorial candidate Winston Garcia, welcomed his sister’s decision to support Duterte.

Winston, in an earlier statement, said his sister was supporting Duterte even before she arrived at a decision to take a leave of absence from UNA. Winston had said the family “cannot have two presidential candidates.”

Garcia’s opponent in the third district congressional race, Cebu Board Member Grecilda Sanchez, said she felt bad for Binay. “After he helped Gwen all throughout her darkest moments, in the middle of this battle, she abandoned him,” she told CDN in a separate interview.

Sanchez, who is running under the administration Liberal Party, is the eldest daughter of the late Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez.

Garcia’s move is an indication that One Cebu is not strong, she said. “When you transfer from one group to another, you are undecided, you don’t know where you stand.”

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