Alvin says: Georgia is welcome to join the opposition

CEBU - Former mayor Alvin Garcia said Georgia Osmeña, the sister of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, is very much welcome if she would join the opposition but not necessarily as candidate for mayor.

Garcia issued the statement after Georgia expressed interest to run for mayor in 2010 so she could help implement some local laws that have been allegedly left dormant.

In the forum “Tapok-Tapok sa Kia” last Friday, Garcia reiterated that Osmeña’s youngest sister is “simply a formidable candidate.”

“I feel that Georgia can be a strong candidate. Lig-on nga kandidato dili lang tungod sa iyang apelyido. She herself is a very intelligent girl,” Garcia said.

In the same forum, Garcia also defended his cousin, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, from insinuations raised by former Senator Sonny Osmeña that the governor is behind Georgia’s sudden plans to enter politics.

“I know my cousin. I think that is not her style of politics nga mag-intriga. In fact, I think until karon, wa pa kaayo na siya’y hisgot about politika. She is just doing her job,” Garcia said.

Alvin said he is convinced that Georgia’s political pronouncement is merely a “spontaneous act” based on her personal decision.

Sonny earlier said the “political agreement” is intended to break Osmeña’s group- Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, considering that Osmeña has endorsed and will be supporting his vice mayor, Michael Rama, for mayor in 2010.

But Capitol dismissed such insinuations, saying nobody can dictate Georgia what to do.

Osmeña founded BOPK in 1988 by basing it on grassroots politics and used it to catapult himself to the mayorship of a city then being run by traditional political machineries.

Osmeña and Garcia launched their political careers together in 1988 as mayor and vice mayor, with the former giving up what could have been a sure third term in favor of Garcia in 1995.

The first open break of a subsequent fallout between the two came when Tomas publicly criticized Garcia over the mayor’s aggressive espousal of a controversial $500 million investment scheme. Alvin responded by also publicly calling Tomas stupid.

When Garcia vied for his third term as mayor in 2001, Tomas ran against him and their friendship fell apart. Running under BOPK, Osmeña edged Garcia by a mere 3,060 votes. — Garry B. Lao/JMO (THE FREEMAN)