Pablo Garcia attacks LP over daughter's 'illegal suspension'

MANILA -- The father of suspended Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia took to the House of Representatives the local squabble in their province, attacking the Liberal Party (LP), which, he said, showed the “ugly face” of politics.

In a privilege speech Wednesday, House Deputy Speaker and Cebu Representative Pablo Garcia recounted before members of Congress the events that transpired after her daughter was “illegally ordered suspended” by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“The other face (of politics) is an ugly one because it depicts politics as an instrument of harassment persecution and for the attainment of selfish ends,” the senior lawmaker said.

Garcia said their family was “shocked to see the other face of politics” when the suspension order came even if the case filed by the late Vice Governor Greg Sanchez in 2010 “gathered dust” during the term of the late Secretary Jesse Robredo.

The suspended provincial governor is running for congresswoman in the third district of Cebu. She will replace her brother, Representative Pablo John Garcia, who is seeking the gubernatorial post.

The elder Garcia said that the members of the LP in Cebu “found themselves in total disarray” after her daughter was able to draw “huge crowds” when she was going around the province to seek for her constituents’ support.

“The Liberals in Cebu panicked. They asked for help to the LP in Manila. That help came with the sudden suspension of the governor,” he said.

Garcia further said that similar “political blackmails” are happening across the country, including in Pangasinan, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga.

He said the Cebuano vote is perceived as important or even crucial in the any national elections considering its voting population of 2.5 million.

“Indeed, the President has become much larger than the Liberal Party because his administration is supported by people coming not only from the Liberal Party but also from other political parties,” Garcia said.

After Garcia’s privilege speech, Cebu City Representative Tomas Osmeňa stood up to speak on the matter.

The Osmeňas and Garcias are political rivals in Cebu.

“It is unfair to imply that the actuation and recommendation of the late Secretary Robredo was politically motivated,” Osmeňa said.

The lawmaker also found it questionable why the suspended governor slipped out of the capitol covering her face before she visited southern towns in Cebu. Upon leaving the capitol, she was locked out by acting Governor Agnes Magpale.

“Is this the actuations of someone who has nothing to hide? This is the same governor who insists that there is people’s clamor (for her to run) and who has hundreds of supporters,” Osmeňa said.

Deputy Speaker Garcia tried to answer Osmeňa but the session was immediately suspended.

When session resumed, the leadership took up bills pending for approval on second and third reading. Wednesday was the last session day of Congress before it adjourned for the campaign period. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)