In case another split-ticket occurs: Clavel willing to work with Gwen

What happens if a third straight split-ticket occurs and both reelectionist Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and rival vice gubernatorial aspirant Clavel Martinez emerge victorious in the May 14 elections?

The question was posed to the two women yesterday not only because they are both strong-willed individuals who are sworn enemies to each other but, more importantly, because there is more than just a slim chance they might in fact win as split-tickets have consecutively emerged in the race for the top Capitol positions in the 2001 and 2004 elections.

Gwen, however, politely refused to answer the question, saying she did not want to engage in speculation or make an issue where none existed.

Clavel, on the other hand, said she is willing to work with " her former friend " for as long as she sees it is for the betterment of Cebu.

" On matters of agreement, why not? I will work with her. But if I see that it is not agreeable, I will disagree with her, " Clavel said. The outgoing congresswoman from the fourth district, however, failed to specify which areas she can agree with Gwen.

" After all, why do we seek office? For as long as our executive and legislative agenda complement each other, I am willing to work with her, " said Clavel who, if elected vice governor, will serve as presiding officer of the provincial board, among other functions.

Asked if she will greet Gwen if they chance upon each other, Clavel said why not. "Nganong dili man ko managad kung managad siya (why would I not greet her if she greets me)," she said. Asked further as to what she might likely say to Gwen, Clavel answered: " That would depend on what she would say to me. "

Despite opening up the posibility of a civil working relationship with Gwen, Clavel did not end her brief interview with The Freeman without parting with a veiled threat. " But if the administration does not want to work with me, then it would be very exciting. There will be excitement everyday, " Clavel said.

Gwen has for her runningmate reelectionist Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez while Clavel is running in tandem with gubernatorial aspirant Antonio Yapha, also an outgoing congressman from the third district.

The Freeman tried to contact both Sanchez and Yapha to pose a similar hypothetical question to them, in case the reverse happens and it is they who emerge victorious. However, repeated calls to their known mobile phones went unanswered.

The race for governor is actually a four-cornered fight among Gwen, Yapha, and independents Joyce Osmena and Rolando Ejarde but the latter two are not expected to figure prominently in the standings.

Gwen won the governorship in 2004 by beating Celestino Martinez Jr., the husband of Clavel. However, Sanchez, the runningmate of Martinez, won over Julian Daan, the runningmate of Gwen. Sanchez has since moved over to the Garcia camp.

The Garcias and Martinezes are seeking to consolidate power in other fronts, regardless of whether Gwen and Clavel win.

Gwen''s father Pablo, the three-termer governor prior to 2004, is running for congressman in the second district while her brother Pablo John is seeking to represent the third.

Martinez, on the other hand, is running for mayor of Bogo to replace his son Celestino III who in turn seeks to replace his mother Clavel as representative of the fourth district.

The enmity between the two families goes back to the 2001 campaign when then governor Pablo Garcia sought reelection for a third and last term with Celestino Martinez Jr, the husband of Clavel, as his runningmate.

It was also during that time when the first of two successive split-tickets occurred.

In 2001, while Garcia won, Martinez lost, promptly believing that he was secretly dropped in the final moments of the campaign.

The bitterness of the 2001 experience carried over to 2004, when another split-ticket emerged with the victory of Gwen as governor and Sanchez, the runningmate of the losing Martinez, as vice governor. That time, Martinez blamed alleged cheating for his loss.

Unable to dislodge the Garcias from power, Clavel, in tandem with Yapha and yet another outgoing congressman, Simeon Kintanar, filed identical bills seeking to create new provinces out of their respective districts.

Gwen led a Cebu-wide movement against what would eventually be called " Sugbuak, " and this movement would later become what is now the One Cebu Party.