CEBU City Councilor Hilario Davide III yesterday asked for his north district constituents to understand his decision to resign from the City Council so he can focus on the campaign for Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino’s candidacy in the province.

He has not drafted his resignation letter yet, but said he will step down from the City Council effective Oct. 30. He was appointed as the Cebu provincial chairman of the Liberal Party (LP).

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Davide, the city’s acting vice mayor, will deliver tomorrow a “farewell” speech before colleagues at the City Council during their regular session.

Acting Mayor Michael Rama said the City Government officials will meet to compensate for the possible slack after the resignation of Davide, who is not discounting the possibility of running for Cebu governor against Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

Former Bogo City mayor Celestino “Tining” Martinez III told reporters in a press conference yesterday that Panaghiusa continues to choose its candidates through consultations.

With Davide leading Cebu Province’s Liberal Party (LP), which is under Aquino, Martinez admits that Davide will be talked about.

But Martinez said his loyalty is limited to Aquino and LP’s vice presidential candidate Mar Roxas.

Also, as of the moment, Martinez said Davide is still from Cebu City with no business in the Province.

“He is not even a member of Panaghiusa,” said Martinez, referring to questions on whether the opposition party is bent on supporting him for governor considering that Panaghiusa aims to be the opposition group of Cebu.

Davide said he will resign because he does not want to be accused later of using Cebu City resources in campaigning for Aquino in Cebu province.

Task

He added that what is foremost for him is the task of campaigning for Aquino.

“I have always been thankful for them (in making me number one city councilor in the past two elections). I hope my city constituents understand my decision…. I just hope masabtan pud nila (they will understand),” he told reporters who interviewed him in his law office yesterday.

He said he has asked colleagues to sponsor for him his pending resolutions and ordinances now that he will be actively working in the province.

Davide also said he does not want the City Council to be involved or dragged into a situation that might develop later on in the course of his campaign for Aquino.

“I don’t want to be accused of using the resources of the City sa pangampanya. Dili sad ko ganahan ang council maapil pud kung unsa’y akong buhaton,” said the son of former chief justice and Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Hilario Davide Jr.

He said he has not drafted his resignation letter yet, and is unsure of being able to send it to the office of the mayor within the week.

What is sure, though, he said, is that it will be effective on Oct. 30.

In a text message to Sun.Star Cebu, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said they have not yet thought of anyone to take Davide’s place in the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan’s (BOPK) lineup.

“I have no one in mind,” was his reply.

Davide said that while he is open to running for governor if he is asked to, it is not his priority right now.

“What is important is I get the support of people in the towns to vote for Noynoy,” he said.

Davide sees no problem in Cebu City because the BOPK has committed to campaign for Noynoy.

Yesterday, Rama said Davide need not resign, but said he will meet the acting vice mayor and the city councilors on the tasks ahead of them.

“There are many things that we have to discuss and remind the mayor (Osmeña) soon,” he said.

Rama said the Davide family’s track record cannot be questioned, and that he has trust in Davide’s decisions.

Davide said that while others may think he is wasting the opportunity to seek a third and last term as city councilor, it can be that he is really destined to return to the province.

The Davides are famous family in Argao, Cebu.

“Tingali pud mao ni ang akong calling, nga mobalik sa probinsya (Maybe it is my calling to go back to the province),” he said.

Line-up

But Martinez said Davide should talk to personalities in the province if he will run for governor.

Martinez said he expects a full lineup of Panaghiusa by the first week of November.

Martinez said they will stress on “winnability” in selecting a candidate.

Among the names that have surfaced as the possible standard bearers for Panaghiusa are Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez and Tourism Sec. Joseph Ace Durano.

But on Durano’s non-committal to run for the post, Martinez said, “Why force a person to run if he’s not interested to serve the Province?”

The congressional aspirant also said the contenders for governor and vice governor should also be compatible.