Cebu City mayor junks Ping

CEBU CITY — Mayor Alvin Garcia has finally decided to junk senatorial candidate Panfilo Lacson even if his good friend Sen. Vicente Sotto III asked him to reconsider his decision.

Garcia said that he cannot continue to carry Lacson considering that Benjamin Paclibar, former chief of the disbanded Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF), allegedly continues to harass people in the mountain barangays.

Lacson is the former boss of Paclibar, who is now reportedly campaigning for Tomas Osmeña, Garcia’s rival candidate.

"With the very little time left, I don’t think Lacson’s name will be included in our sample ballots. My decision is final, more or less final," Garcia said.

Sotto, the campaign manager of the Puwersa ng Masa, said he will appeal to Garcia to reconsider his decision in junking Lacson, not out of party affiliation but because of long-time friendship.

"I will talk to Alvin to at least reconsider his decision," Sotto said in a press conference the other day at the White Gold House.

Garcia said Sotto is a very good friend of his but he does not think he will change his decision.

Jesus "Sonny" Garcia Jr., Alvin’s campaign manager, said he was personally against any move to carry Lacson.

Sonny said this is because of Lacson’s participation in the "EDSA 3" uprising and his being a fugitive from justice.

Lacson, who is Cebu’s adopted son, is running under the Puwersa ng Masa of former President Joseph Estrada.

Last month, Garcia announced that Kusug would support Lacson because of his good performance as chief of the defunct Cebu Metrodiscom. — Freeman News Service