‘Different inclinations’ in Garcia family over choice for president

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Governor Gwendolyn has admitted that members of her family “have different inclinations” on the national candidates to support for the 2022 elections.

She said deciding with finality would still be “premature”.

Garcia made the comment when asked about the pronouncement of former senator Bongbong Marcos, Jr. who said jokingly that his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte is waiting for the governor’s “sweet yes.”

Garcia said it was her first time to be “courted” publicly in front of over 200 people. Marcos and Duterte were among her guests during the Governor’s night on November 26 along with mayors in Central Visayas.

As of yesterday, One Cebu, the local group that Garcia built, is still in the process of consulting, especially among members of the Garcia family, on who to support in the elections.

Garcia is chairperson and president of One Cebu while her brother, Third District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, is secretary general.

Aside from the two of them, other family members who are holding positions of influence are the governor’s her daughter, Liloan Mayor Christina Frasco, the president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines - Cebu; and her son-in-law, Christina’s husband, Fifth District Rep. Duke Frasco.

Just yesterday, Christina took her oath as member of Lakas-CMD. No less than Duterte, the party’s chairperson, administered her oath.

She also reiterated her support for the Marcos-Duterte tandem.

“I join our next Vice President as she and BBM-SARA Uniteam carry forward the hopes and aspirations of our fellow Filipinos for a stronger and more prosperous nation!” Christina wrote on Facebook.

She told The Freeman that she retains her membership with One Cebu even with her membership with Lakas-CMD.

The governor said she’s staying in the middle, for now.

“I understand that members of our family have different inclinations… you know that. That is why I’m staying in the middle. I cannot prematurely impose a choice, which would only divide our family further. After the lessons of 2010, my declaration is family first. After all, if we agree as a family, then we will be an even stronger political party as One Cebu,” Garcia told reporters.

Garcia said she has to learn from the “mistake” in the previous elections when they announced their choice of president “prematurely” without “enough consultations,” which caused divisiveness among family members.

“I think you can go back to your archives and remember what acrimonious and divisive thing it was in the family because some members were not inclined to support the declared chosen candidate for President,” Garcia said.

This is why she will allow the members of the family to “explore their inclinations.”

“So I will allow members of my family… that is their freedom, that is democracy, to express their inclinations, but as the chairman and President of One Cebu, I must stay in the middle and all presidential candidates will be given the same respect and the same access for as long as they all coordinate with the Capitol so that our mayors will be informed” Garcia said.

One Cebu backing

Pablo John said earlier that One Cebu is “strongly considering” supporting Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.

The governor, meanwhile, said Duke is “naturally sympathetic” towards Marcos.

Moreno, Marcos, and Ping Lacson who is also running for president have all visited Garcia.

The support of One Cebu is crucial for national candidates because Cebu is a vote-rich province, registering up to 3.2 million voters for the 2022 polls.

Yesterday, Pablo John wrote on Facebook that “as far as One Cebu and allied Mayors are concerned, No endorsement has been given to any candidate. A clarification is in order.”

Garcia also said earlier that One Cebu employs consensus in choosing a national candidate to support.

She said unity of choice must prevail as far as her family is concerned.

“It has to be or else we will not choose. I cannot afford the divisiveness, the conflict, the rancor that happened in 2010 within our own family, so we must come together as a family,” Garcia said.

On whether or not Duterte is their choice for vice president, Garcia said only, "Did you (reporters) hear me call her anak?"

During the governor's night, Garcia acknowledged Duterte as her "fourth anak."

In 2016, One Cebu announced first that it was supporting the candidacy of then vice president Jejomar Binay. Two months before elections, it changed its mind and threw its support behind now President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte, who got over 1.4 million votes in Cebu alone, won the presidency.

In the 2000 elections, One Cebu supported the presidential bid of former defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro but Teodoro lost to Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino.

LMP

Meanwhile, Christina clarified a report that the municipal mayors of Cebu are supporting Marcos.

“My declaration of support for the Presidency of Sen. Bongbong Marcos, I said in my capacity as president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines Cebu whose membership consists of 44 Municipalities,” she said.

She also said that she respects the process of One Cebu Party fully.

“With deference to the leadership of One Cebu, my hope is that the BBM-Sara Uniteam would be given serious consideration,” she said.

Marcos and Duterte were guests during the 2021 Regional Planning of LMP together with former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, LMP-Philippines President Luis Chavit Singson, Lakas-CMD Chairman Martin Romualdez./JMO (FREEMAN)