Pablo John to win as guv, says Sonny

FORMER Senator John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña said his “fearless forecast” for next year’s election is Representative Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, third district) winning the gubernatorial post.

“My fearless forecast nga modaog pagkagobernador, walay lain kundi si Pablo John,” Osmeña said during the 888 News Forum yesterday.

Pablo John thanked Osmeña for his statement.

“I thank him for his confidence in my chances. But I’ll continue to work hard, run scared and toil tirelessly for every vote,” Pablo John said in a text message.

The former senator said the weakness of lawyer Hilario “Junjun” Davide III, Liberal Party’s (LP) gubernatorial candidate, was shown when he turned his back on the original members of the LP.

“Ang mga original nga miyembro nga gitalikdan ni Davide di na gyud motrabaho para kang Davide (The original members of LP whom Davide turned his back on will no longer work for his candidacy),” Osmeña said.

He cited a situation in Cebu’s second district concerning Provincial Board Member Wilfredo Caminero, LP’s candidate for Congress, a long-time political ally of Rep. Pablo Garcia, Pablo John’s father.

“Ang pinagsamahan ni Pabling ug Willie dili ba maoy motukar sa eleksyon? (Won’t the relationship between Caminero and Pabling be an issue in the next elections?) I think that was an unwise move on the part of Davide,” Osmeña said.

Caminero was chosen to run for Congress under the LP against Deputy Speaker Pablo Garcia. In 2010, LP’s candidate for the post was Dr. Cora-Lou Kintanar.

Davide said the choice of Caminero is not his own but was a product of consultation among all LP members.

He said Osmeña’s forecast is his own.

“That’s his forecast. Let him be. I did not turn my back on them. They were all consulted… The choice of Caminero was (a result of consultation among) Liberal Party members”, Davide said in a phone interview.

Osmeña said that even with his prediction, he is not supporting any gubernatorial candidate.

He said no candidate was made to run for the first district against Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas, grandson of Rep. Eduardo Gullas (Cebu, first district) because Samsam’s mother is the half-sister of Cebu City Councilor Margot Osmeña, wife of Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south).

Osmeña said Mariano “Mimo” Versoza-Osmeña, son of former Cebu governor Emilio “Lito” Osmeña, was interested to run for congressman in the first district but Margot stopped him.

“Si Mimo unta to interesado. (Mimo was interested) In fact the truth of the matter is wala mapawong ang iyang interes...Pero gipawong ni Margot. Gani, modagan man unta to si Mimo (Mimo’s interest never faded. It was Margot who stopped him. Mimo really wanted to run),” the former senator said.

During the 888 news forum, former senator Osmeña said it was Georgia Osmeña, sister of Tomas, who told him that Samsam’s mother, Josephine “Joy” Vargas, is the half-sister of Margot.

Samsam admitted that his mother and Margot are half-sisters on the father’s side.

He said that he didn’t know of any negotiation to convince Mimo not to run against him.

“I always thought that he (Mimo) will run for mayor in Talisay,” Samsam told Sun.Star Cebu.

In an interview over radio dyAB, Margot denied she is the reason Samsam has no opponent.

Meanwhile, Sonny expressed support for the candidacy of Grecilda Sanchez-Zaballero and Provincial Board Member Alex Binghay for PB members in the third district.

He said he will not support PB Member Cesar Ian Zambo because he is the brother-in-law of Toledo Vice Mayor Arlene Espinosa-Zambo, rival of his running mate, former congressman Antonio Yapha.

Sonny will run for mayor in Toledo City against the incumbent vice mayor’s father, Toledo Mayor Aurelio Espinosa.