Sugbuak rivals to face off for governor, vice governor

The fight for the two top posts of the provincial government has now pitted the proponents and the opposition of the legislative plan to sub-divide Cebu into four provinces.

This was after the Representatives Antonio Yapha, of the Third District, and Clavel Asas-Martinez, of the Fourth District, filed yesterday their candidacies for governor and vice-governor, respectively.

Yapha had filed a bill in Congress for converting his district into Cebu Occidental province while Martinez filed a separate bill converting her district into Cebu del Norte province.

Both bills, including the one filed by Rep. Simeon Kintanar that would convert his Second District to Cebu del Sur, became popularly known as the Sugbuak bills.

Yapha and Martinez are now fighting against incumbent Governor Gwen Garcia and Vice Governor Greg Sanchez Jr., who have been known for putting up strong resistance against the Sugbuak bills.

Garcia and Sanchez formed the One Cebu Party as a symbolic advocacy to keep Cebu intact as one province. The party even touted that it will only endorse candidates who will support this cause.

Yapha and Martinez are carrying the slogan "Cebu Above All", which they said is anchored on the vision of providing health services and hospitals in every district in the province, from this year to 2010.

When asked of their reasons to run for posts in the province that they earlier wanted to be subdivided, Yapha and Martinez said they wanted to eliminate the reasons and problems that forced them to break free from the sad state of the province now.

Yapha said he might no longer support the subdivision of Cebu if these problems are solved. "Dili balanced, dili equal ang development. Kung imong matan-aw, asa ang development? Naa ra gyud sa Metro Cebu."

"Kung tugutan nga malamposon mi sa among tinguha nga mapili, ang among unahon paghimo mao ang pagkoreher sa hinungdan kung nganong nakahimo mi anang additional provinces," said Yapha said, adding that a new leadership is needed to address this matter.

Yapha and Martinez filed their COCs at the Provincial Comelec Office at past 11 a.m. yesterday, accompanied by former Cebu governor, Emilio Osmeña, senatorial candidate John "Sonny" Osmeña, Lakas-Visayas spokesman Edilberto Emphasis, Provincial Board members Luigi Quisumbing, Raul Bacaltos and Estrella Yapha, the wife of Rep. Yapha.

Quisumbing is running for a congressional seat in the Sixth District while Estrella Yapha is going for the vacated congressional post of her husband. Estrella vowed to refile the Sugbuak bill if she wins.

Clavel Martinez, whose son Bogo Mayor Celestino "Tining" Martinez is vying for her district's congressional seat, said she will also support for the division of the province.

Martinez said the Garcias are afraid of a divided Cebu because they have no bailiwick and would eventually lose any political hold that they have now.

She said that the proposal to divide Cebu is actually for the people to decide not for the Garcias. "Naa na sa katawhan kay dili man kita magbuot. We will always give it to the people."

Garcia said her campaign will focus on issues and platform of government saying its time to deviate from the usual practice of some politicians of resorting to mudslinging and other types of dirty politics.

Besides Yapha and Garcia, there is a third candidate for the governor post: Mary Joyce Osmeña, wife of Rico Osmeña who is the brother of Lito and Sonny.

But her entry into the fray was assailed by her husband's relatives. Lito and Sonny had somehow "disowned" the couple Rico and Mary Joyce as part of the Osmeña family.

Sonny said that they just tolerated the couple for using the surname the past years, and he dared them to show proof, through a marriage certificate of their grandparents, that they have Osmeña blood. - Garry B. Lao and Gregg M. Rubio/RAE