Sonny says Visayas Republic just a bluff

Former senator John "Sonny" Osmeña called the plan of the Visayas governors to create the Visayas Republic if President Gloria Arroyo is ousted through unconstitutional means a bluff.

He said the 13 Visayas governors do not have the capability to form a new republic because they do not have the armed component. He described the Visayas governors as members of the Malacañang cheering squad.

"Kana sila mao nay grupo sa mga gobernador nga magsigi og pakpak ni Arroyo didto sa Malacañang. Mao nay mga palakpak brigade sa Malacañang," (These governors keep clapping for Arroyo in Malacañang. They are the cheering squad of Malacañang) Osmeña said.

Osmeña said that if the governors are really serious in their plan to create the Visayas Republic they should have already declared that they want to separate from Arroyo's administration.

Visayas governors took the first step towards creating a separate republic by creating last week a technical working committee to study the political framework and the possible constitution of the proposed republic.