JVR to stay with LP, sees no threat in Alayon merger

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes yesterday said he will remain with the administration Liberal Party and does not see the consolidation of Alayon Party of former congressman Eduardo Gullas in the party as a threat.

De los Reyes attended a public forum where he said he is giving LP provincial chairman Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III and LP presidential standard-bearer Manuel "Mar" Roxas until September 12 to decide whether they would side with the Gullases or their group, who they claimed as the original LP members.

When the ultimatum lapse, the provincial LP, however, had not yet decided on the issue.

"Kahibalo ko nga mi-lapse ang deadline pero wala nalang ko mo-insister kay gi-istoryahan naman ko ni LP Secretary General (Mel Senen Sarmiento) nga ako gyud," De los Reyes said in an interview with The Freeman.

De los Reyes reminded the LP that Alayon supported Davide's opponent, former congressman Pablo Garcia of One Cebu Party and former senator Manuel Villar of Nacionalista Party.

De los Reyes, who went to Manila, sought clarification from the LP Secretary Sarmiento if his appointment as chairman of the Liberal Party in the city for the coming 2016 elections has been revoked.

"My certification is not yet revoked. So pagmatuod niini, ako gihapon ang nagpabiling chairman," De los Reyes said, adding that his appointment was endorsed and signed by LP Secretary General Mel Senen Sarmiento in a certificate dated January 5.

Cebu Representative Gerald Anthony "Samsam" Gullas, who heads the Alayon Party, said he does not want to comment on the statement of De los Reyes.

But Samsam said "there is a need to get things clear so as not to misrepresent the standing facts or invite confusion."

According to Samsam, in the 2010 presidential election, the Alayon Party supported Villar in his presidential bid. However, the Gullas and Roxas family supported Roxas for the vicepresidential race, this after former congressman Gullas sought the approval of Villar.

Samsam said the Alayon still has its sample ballot depicting therein the name of Roxas for  vice president.

Meanwhile, San Fernando Mayor Abe Canoy, who will challenge the re-election bid of Samsam, criticized the Gullas family and asked as to the accomplishments of their family in politics.

But Samsam lashed out Canoy saying "the fact that the Congressman Eddie has stayed long implies an irreversible truth that the people have trusted him and cast confidence in the kind of leadership Congressman Eddie has displayed."

"What startled us most is the question: what have they done? We are not here to make a recital of what they have done good in the first district. We will not make this political, but Mayor Canoy must ask his constituents and the rest of the first district of Cebu, if they have at all benefited from the projects and programs spearheaded by no less than Congressman Eddie. We invite him to ask the people personally, especially in the district hospitals of Minglanilla, Talisay, Carcar and Vicente Sotto Memorial hospital. They will be the true judge of what we have done and how we have served them," Samsam said.

Samsam said there is no such thing as domination in the first district because there is an election. —   (FREEMAN)