AFTER seeing huge crowds in Liberal Party's (LP) rallies in the province, former chief justice Hilario Davide Jr. is confident that his son Hilario "Junjun" Davide III will win over Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
Davide said the one million votes promised by Garcia to Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has no basis because LP's Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III will get a big chunk of Cebuano votes on May 10.
"I was with Kris Aquino in Madridejos and Bantayan towns, Bogo City, Danao City and Lapu-Lapu City and I could see the overwhelming support of the Cebuanos, as demonstrated not only through simple body language but also through their shouts while uttering the names of LP candidates," the former chief justice said in yesterday's 888 News Forum. deep from inside, there is a massive demonstration of support and love in order to attain a real change in the way we are running the government on the basis of the battle cry of Sen. Noynoy Aquino that if `walang corrupt, walang mahirap'," Davide said.
Junjun, in a separate press conference at City Sports Club yesterday, said the issue on how Garcia used provincial funds entrusted to her by the Cebuanos will determine the results of the election.
Davide's running mate, Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr., who is at odds with the governor, labeled her as the "worst governor" he has worked with.
One Cebu Spokesperson Rory Jon Sepulveda said confidence "is a good feeling."
'Imagined'
But it will be detrimental to anybody if "it's based on imagined and otherwise misrepresented fact."
"Dili na maayo but anybody is entitled to believe that he's doing well. We can't take that away from him. Para sa One Cebu, as I have said, bisan kapila pa na pakita ang double digits nga lead, we are running a campaign as if we are running against Superman and the Fantastic Four. We are making sure that our message would reach our
intended audience and we are making sure that we are doing this in a decent and a high-level manner," Sepulveda told reporters.
On the issue hurled by Sanchez against the governor, Sepulveda said they won't issue any statement about the vice governor.
He said Sanchez had been bad-mouthing the governor but, in reality, the vice governor is still campaigning for the "Gwen-Greg tandem."
"Even before May 10, mamata na kana si Junjun Davide nga ang paningkamot iyaha ra (Davide will soon realize that Sanchez is just working for his own victory),"
Sepulveda added.
Sun.Star tried to contact Sanchez for reaction but failed.
The elder Davide, however, reiterated his accusation yesterday that Garcia is using her influence and government resources in her campaign.
The former chief justice said dawn operations are being conducted to remove the campaign posters of his son and Sanchez from Sibonga town to Dalaguete and other areas in the province.
"The dirty tactics employed by my son's political opponents, such as vote-buying, pressure and terrorism, must be condemned. We can see the all-out support of the Cebuanos for my son," Davide said.
"I am happy about sustained progress of the campaign of my son. I am confident that my son will win as governor when the election comes on Monday," Davide added. (Lareina Devi Rajah, UP intern)