3 lawmakers back anti-Cebu split movement

CEBU — Opposition to the three House bills seeking to divide Cebu into several provinces has spilled over to the House of Representatives with at least three party-list lawmakers vowing to oppose the proposals.

This, as many considered last Monday’s summit initiated by the provincial government against the proposals, a success.

Capitol consultant Pablo John Garcia said the three Akbayan party-list representatives in Congress have vowed to oppose the bills filed by Cebu Reps. Simeon Kintanar (second district), Antonio Yapha (third district) and Clavel Martinez (fourth district) seeking to convert their respective districts into separate provinces.

Garcia said Alvin Dizon, an Akbayan official in Cebu, said his group’s representatives in Congress — Loreta Ann Rosales, Riza Hontiveros and Mario Aguja — promised to block the bills.

Aside from Akbayan party-list representatives, former University of the Philippines president Francisco Nemenzo, a Cebuano, also gave assurances that he would call on all UP alumni in the House and Senate to oppose the bills.

Garcia said he is confident that the move to split Cebu will not succeed because of the strong opposition from different sectors. — Freeman News Service