Ace to face Gwen in Cebu gubernatorial race

CEBU CITY—Former Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano has come out of political retirement to challenge the reelection bid of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia in next year’s elections.

“It took time for me to decide because I already retired from politics and I am OK with my private life with my family,” Durano said in a statement on Thursday.

“But considering the current situation of the province, and the way we are currently addressing it, this pandemic would affect us for a much-prolonged time,” he added.

Garcia, a member of a prominent political clan in Cebu, has yet to issue a statement regarding Durano’s decision to run for governor.

But in an earlier statement, she said she would be “most honored to face him because he is a most worthy opponent.”

Garcia was asked on Sept. 16 about reports that Durano would run for governor after he was seen visiting different towns.

No easy task

She told reporters that running for governor would not be an easy task and entail a lot of sacrifice since it meant going around Cebu.

Durano, a member of a political clan in Danao City, belongs to the local party, Barug Alang sa Kauswagan Ug Demokrasya, that is identified with his family.

He was tourism secretary during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and was a former representative of Cebu’s fifth district, now occupied by Garcia’s son-in-law, Rep. Duke Frasco.

Durano would run with Vice Gov. Hilario Davide III, who is seeking reelection.

Davide, who served as Cebu governor from 2013 to 2019, said he ditched earlier plans to retire after he was asked by Durano to be his running mate.