CEBU City’s administration party is considering an alliance with the Liberal Party (LP), Cebu City Councilor Hilario Davide III told reporters.
Davide made the statement after Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, who visited the Carmelite Monastery yesterday morning, told reporters the Cebu City councilor was appointed as the LP’s party head for Cebu Province.
While before he had his doubts about Senator Aquino as a presidential candidate, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said yesterday he “certainly would like to endorse Noynoy and Mar,” referring to vice presidential aspirant Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.
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He said he will consult members of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), but added after meeting Aquino and Roxas that the tandem is now okay with him.
Osmeña said he was also “happy and honored” that the party picked Councilor Davide as its chairman for Cebu.
Lawyer Aristotle Batuhan said the LP’s emerging alliance with BOPK reveals the national party is being realistic, by endorsing real candidates who can deliver local votes.
But the former congressional candidate said he also hopes Aquino and his allies can balance real politics with reformist politics, when dealing with BOPK.
In a separate interview, Atty. Democrito Barcenas, chairman of the Noynoy-Mar Volunteers in Cebu, said that Aquino, Roxas and other LP members held a “secret meeting” with Cebu officials on Friday night.
“I believe that Mayor (Tomas) Osmeña is supporting Noynoy and Mar,” said Davide yesterday.
Davide admitted his appointment as LP chairman for Cebu Province will stoke rumors he is running for governor. He said he is consulting his family on his plans for 2010.
“Let me just say now nga kanang sa governor, dili pa na (that’s not in the plan). The objective right now is to campaign for Noynoy. There is also a process in selecting the candidate for governor,” Davide said.
He, however, is not closing his door to the possibility. “If I’m asked to run, I’m open to that,” he added.
“He has to talk to everyone in the Province, consolidate his forces, his volunteers. He is the underdog against the governor (Gwendolyn Garcia),” Osmeña said.
Asked for a reaction, Capitol consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda said: “We don’t expect nga wala mi’y maka-atbang (to run unopposed). So we welcome any candidate from the opposition.”
Sepulveda, however, called it the “Leyson gambit.”
Former Cebu City councilor Gabriel Leyson ran but lost for Talisay City mayor in 2007, at the height of a conflict between Osmeña and Rep. Eduardo Gullas (Cebu Province, 1st district).
Davide still has time to transfer his residency from Cebu City to a municipality or component city of the province. The Davides hail from Colawin, Argao.
Apart from Davide, also being floated as a possible contender against Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia in 2010 is Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano, whom Garcia has endorsed for senator.
“Bisag asa nila duha (Either of them). They are both qualified and come from respected families,” said Sepulveda yesterday.
Panaghiusa leaders former senator John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña and Bogo City Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr. could not be reached for comment on Davide’s possible candidacy. Panaghiusa has vowed to field an opposition ticket in Cebu.
In 2004, all the major gubernatorial candidates in the province allied themselves with the ruling national party, which fielded President Gloria Arroyo.
That year, Batuhan recalled, the BOPK endorsed the late senator Raul Roco in the presidential elections.
Batuhan alleged that BOPK officials junked Roco when the administration bloc started giving financial help to them.
Aquino and Roxas left Cebu yesterday afternoon and proceeded to Tagbilaran City in Bohol.
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Hilario "jun jun"Davide Floated to run Against Gwen Garcia
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