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Thursday, August 24, 2006
Capitol inmates sign up against new provinces
Ssome 1,500 inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center are the first to join the signature campaign against the bills seeking to divide Cebu into four provinces.
Capitol consultant on security Byron Garcia, a brother of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, said the move of the inmates was voluntary.
Garcia said some of the inmates are joining the slogan contest of a local TV station with the theme “Anti-Sugbuak.”
The chairman of the inmates’ council, Leo Suico, called Garcia last Tuesday and asked if they could join the campaign.
Garcia then sent the forms to the jail last Tuesday and, as of yesterday, almost all of the inmates already signed.
In a television interview, two inmates expressed opposition to the plan to create three more provinces in Cebu.
Rep. Simeon Kintanar wants to make the second district into Cebu del Sur; Rep. Antonio Yapha proposes Cebu Occidental out of the third district; and Rep. Clavel Asas-Martinez plans to turn the fourth district into Cebu del Norte.
All three are on their third consecutive term and barred from seeking reelection next year. They have defended their proposals as ways of bringing government closer to constituents and attracting a larger total tax share for Cebu.
The House committee on local government has approved the separate bills, but a motion for reconsideration has been drafted, signed by about 30 of the 77 committee members.
Garcia said the inmates feared that if the split will push through, they will be sent to the provincial jails where their respective towns belong and they might be detained in poor conditions, unlike in the CPDRC.
The inmates, Garcia said, are well-informed about the issues because every afternoon, they watch the news on TV in the jail’s quadrangle.
Aside from the inmates, their wives and relatives also expressed willingness to sign but Garcia said they did not have enough forms yesterday.
The Capitol is planning to round up two million signatures to show the strong opposition of the Cebuanos against the three bills.
The signature campaign of the Provincial Government started this week. Forms were distributed to the towns.
Booths were also put up in the entrances of the Capitol building, where anyone who wants to sign is welcome. (MBG)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 24, 2006 issue)
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