Cebu City placed on high alert for barangay plebiscite today

CEBU CITY—The entire Cebu City has been placed on heightened alert in preparation for today’s plebiscite that will determine whether to split the city’s biggest barangay into two or not.

Senior Supt. Ramon Melvin Buenafe, Cebu City police director, didn’t limit the high alert status to Barangay Guadalupe so that other police units can immediately respond in case of an emergency.

At least 80 policemen would be deployed around the vicinity of Guadalupe Elementary School, the designated voting center of the plebiscite to man peace and order, said Insp. Enrique Belciña, Gudalupe Police Precinct chief.

He said 33 policemen from the Civil Disturbance Management would be on standby at the City Police Office.

Belciña said his men would put up a tent in front of the school since they were not allowed to enter the voting center unless asked by a teacher or a commotion broke out.

Voting will start at 7 a.m. and will end at 3 p.m., just like in regular elections.

Split

The barangay’s 28,431 registered voters will have to decide if they want a new barangay to be formed from Barangay Guadalupe, which will be named Barangay Banawa Englis.

Barangay Banawa-Englis was created by virtue of Republic Act No. 9905 authored by former Rep. Antonio Cuenco of Cebu City south district and passed on Jan. 7, 2010.

If the “yes” vote wins, Cebu City will have a new barangay, which will be composed of Sitios Banawa, Englis and a portion of Labangan, particularly near the boundary of Banawa.

But if the “no” vote wins, Barangay Guadalupe retains its status as the city’s biggest barangay.

Politicians

The barangay is home to at least two prominent politicians in Cebu City—former allies Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district and Cuenco.

Osmeña earlier said he would not vote in the plebiscite because he wanted to leave it up to other Guadalupe residents to decide on the split.

Cuenco campaigned for the “yes” vote but promised to respect the outcome of the plebiscite.

Cuenco is running for south district congressman in 2013 elections, a position he had held from 1987 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2010.

Unlike in the previous elections where he ran under the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, Cuenco will be campaigning under Team Rama of Mayor Michael Rama, another BOPK stalwart who broke off with the party following a public spat with the party head, Osmeña.

Osmeña and Rama will face off in the mayoral race in 2013 polls.