Capitol confident Palace will keep listening to Cebu

THEY may have picked a different presidential contender to support, but One Cebu party officials remain optimistic the new administration will support the policies and economic agenda of the Provincial Government.

“We expect that he (Sen. Benigno Aquino III) has good faith and good intentions in his heart. But if manggukod siya (he goes on a witch hunt), we are not cowering in fear, because what do we have to be afraid of?” said party spokesman and Capitol consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda.

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One Cebu supported Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who repeatedly visited Cebu during the campaign. Sepulveda said the party also conducted a decent, high-level campaign and did not stoop to answer the black propaganda some of their rival camps used.

“When we decided to support Gibo, we embraced his political leaning. This is just the process. We campaigned decently, professionally and at a high level. Now if he (Aquino) wins, then we have to support him,” said Sepulveda.

He also questioned congressman-elect Tomas Osmeña’s statement, in a radio interview, that he will not join the proposed Visayas bloc that lawmakers allied in Cebu are organizing.

“Why isn’t he joining, when this is for the public interest? Lahi tingali ang iyang interest? Or he fears the word ‘interest’ because he thinks of bank interest?” said Sepulveda.

He did not elaborate, although a debt burden the Cebu City Government bears because of its South Road Properties project is something his critics in the Province have repeatedly brought up in the past.

Sepulveda earlier said the six One Cebu congressmen in the province of Cebu will form a united bloc so they can have a strong voice in Congress. He said they were planning to invite Osmeña, as well as congresswoman-elect Rachel del Mar and congressman-elect Arturo Radaza of Lapu-Lapu City.