Thursday, March 01, 2007 Wenceslao: One Cebu in Kampi By Bong O. Wenceslao Candid Thoughts
KEEN political observers were surely not surprised by the decision of One Cebu party to join President Arroyo's Kampi after bolting from Speaker Jose de Venecia's Lakas-CMD. Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia's group just couldn't allow itself to be shunted aside as the coalition supporting the President starts reorganizing in the province.
The local political opposition has actually started filling in the vacuum left by the Garcia camp in Lakas the past few weeks.
Most of the probable party leaders announced by Lakas spokesperson Elberto Emphasis were from the opposition. Kampi, meanwhile, made do with non-aligned local leaders that still posed a threat to One Cebu candidates.
I agree with the contention of the Garcia camp that the Lakas situation in Cebu is confusing, but this is only because John "Sonny" Osmeña, who is running for senator under the slate of the Genuine Opposition (GO), is in the equation. Leaders identified with Lakas, like the Martinezes, the Yaphas, etc. are forging an alliance with Sonny O.
Which makes Lakas in the province partly pro-Arroyo and partly GO. How de Venecia can push these leaders to support the administration Team Unity senatorial slate is a puzzle. By the same token, would Sonny O claim as supporters of the GO senatorial slate his allies in Cebu even if they are with Lakas, which is part of the ruling coalition?
Anyway, One Cebu wiggling into the Kampi machinery complicates further the ruling coalition situation in the province, especially in the choice of official candidate for governor. Will local Lakas leaders pursue their plan of putting up their bet for governor against Gwen now that the Garcia camp re-inserted itself into the ruling coalition?
What should favor One Cebu is the “equity of the incumbent” rule in the choice of official candidates considering that most of its members are incumbents. Since Kampi is with the ruling coalition, Garcia will thus have the advantage over a Lakas bet for governor in the race for the official candidate tag, that is if the coalition will choose one.
Of course, in a complicated setup, anything can happen. The one sure thing here is the intensification of the maneuvering and the scheming within the ruling coalition as the various factions and personalities seek an advantage in the May elections. I therefore wonder how the ruling coalition leaders will be able to maintain the group’s unity.
MANUNGGAL TREK. It’s March, which means that the Manunggal Trek is just around the bend. I was not surprised, therefore, when I received this e-mail from Balamban Councilor Dave Karamihan:
“It's that time of the year again. We're in the thick of preparations for the coming 50th anniversary of the death of former president Ramon Magsaysay. “Paghandum ni Magsaysay Annual Adventure Trek '07” will be on March 17-18. The National Historical Institute is joining. I intend to meet with various mountaineering groups next week to get their pulse just in case. I'll keep you posted and hope to see you again in Mt. Magsaysay.”
