Davide “excited” to face Gwen in 2019 elections

CEBU, Philippines — “Fun and interesting” is how incumbent Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III described his upcoming face-off with his predecessor, Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn Garcia, in 2019 midterm elections.

Davide said he also look forward to be facing against the comebacking former governor.

“I welcome. I look forward to our contest sa 2019,” Davide said.

In a radio interview, Garcia said she is ‘seriously considering’ to run as a governor of Cebu after the Ombudsman ordered her dismissal from service. She said that she would want to restore Cebu to its former glory.

Based on the National Competitive Index (NCI), Cebu Province was top in the country during her term as governor. In 2014, Cebu’s ranking slid down to third. Furthermore, the province ranked 35th in 2015 and then 45th in 2016.

Garcia said that with the statistic results, there must be something wrong after Cebu was listed in the lower half of the NCI. Moreover, she said that Davide might be afraid to run against her.

The incumbent governor said that he is not afraid to face Garcia. Davide is confident that he will have an edge over Garcia because he is the incumbent governor.

"Her chances of winning, not my chances of winning kay ako may incumbent," Davide said in an earlier interview.

Davide, however, has not chosen his running mate yet after Vice Governor Agnes Magpale has declined to seek re-election due to her age.

Garcia, on the other hand, said in an interview last week that she has picked a running mate but she won’t disclose the name yet.

Among the names that surfaced are Fourth District Representative Benhur Salimbangon and his sister, philanthropist Mariquita Salimbangon-Yeung.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña called Garcia’s ploy a waste.

“It's a waste of time. Gwen is disqualified. Comelec says they will accept her certificate of candidacy. Of course, how can you disqualify someone who has not applied? Speaker (Pantaleon) Alvarez cannot protect her. He cannot make her qualify. He can only speak! That's why he is called ‘speaker,’” said the mayor. (FREEMAN)