As they reunite with the Garcias: Martinezes join One Cebu party

CEBU, Philippines — One Cebu Party just became stronger, as the Martinezes of Bogo City finally forged an alliance with Cebu province’s ruling political party at the Bogo City Hall Complex the other day.

Bogo City Mayor Carlo Martinez, Vice Mayor Mayel Martinez, and Provincial Board Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III pledged allegiance to One Cebu Party, which is headed by Gov. Gwen Garcia.

“A reunification 20 years in the making. A dream shared by our fathers, Gov. Pabling Garcia and long-time Bogo City Mayor Celestino ‘Junie’ Martinez Jr. in their lifetime—realized by their children,” said 3rd district Congressman Pablo John “PJ” Garcia, through his Facebook page.

Bogo’s 10 city councilors, all of 29 barangay captains and their 242 barangay councilors, also joined the Martinez.

“I am not only happy, as the Secretary-General of One Cebu, that we have united; I am happy, especially as the son of Pabling Garcia, to fulfill his dream of unity, together with my sister, Gov. Gwen Garcia, and Bogo City's steadfast leaders” Pablo John said.

As reported by Sugbo News, the Cebu Provincial Government’s official news network, the governor expressed delight with the political unification of the two families and their respective allies.

“Kung kining atong pinalanggang Lalawigan sa Sugbo atong gitinguha nga mosaka, nagkinahanglan magdungan tang tanan,” Gwen in her speech.

Pabling and Junie were colleagues in Congress during their time and had crafted important legislations together, including the landmark Local Government Code of 1991.

In 2001, Pabling run for governor and had Junie as running-mate, only that Junie lost to John Henry Gregory Osmeña.

As reported by The Freeman, the Garcias and the Martinezes parted ways in the 2004 elections, when Junie ran for governor but lost to Gwen, who succeeded her late father.

In 2013 to 2019, the Capitol was under the helm of now Vice Governor Hilario Davide III, an ally of the Martinezes.

In the 2019 elections, Davide did not seek for a third and last term as governor when Gwen ran again for the top Capitol post.

Instead, then Vice Governor Agnes Magpale ran for governor with Davide as her running-mate. Although she won the elections, Gwen lost in Bogo City.

In the May 9, 2022 elections, Gwen sought re-election with Carlo supporting her instead of Tourism Secretary Ace Durano. In particular, Carlo asked Bogo city officials and residents during a road project ground-breaking ceremony to pick Gwen over Durano.

Last Monday, Carlo said deciding to ally with One Cebu was no a no-brainer.

“This decision came easy for me tungod kay ever since nagkakuyog mi ni Gov og trabaho adtong 2019, si Gov. Gwen has been really welcoming gyud sa akoa,” he said.

The mayor enumerated at least eight infrastructure projects funded by the Capitol in the city, despite them being not political allies with the governor.

“Isip amahan sa Siyudad sa Bogo, mangita gyod ta’g paagi nga mahatag ang insaktong serbisyo sa katawhan. Dili ta angay magpabuta-buta. Isip amahan, nakakita gyod ko og leader nga sakto, nga kamao moatiman, kamao molaban sa iyang katawhan,” he said.

His brother, Tining, who is still a Cebu Provincial Board ex-officio member after being chosen as Liga ng mga Barangay-Cebu Provincial Federation president, on the other hand, said it is high time that the two families reunite under one banner for a more progressive Bogo City.

Tining recalled that in 1998, when Pabling was governor and he was the then municipal mayor of Bogo, he was elected president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines—Cebu Chapter, proof that the Garcias and Martinezes have been former allies.

“There are bigger things nga makab-ot nato kung kita magkahiusa,” he said. — (FREEMAN)