Sunday, April 15, 2007 Garcia campaigns in rivals’ turf By Minerva B. Gerodias Sun.Star Staff Reporter
GOV. Gwendolyn Garcia and her party yesterday visited Carnasa Island off Daanbantayan, Cebu, which is considered a bailiwick of former governor Lito Osmeña.
Residents and barangay officials of the island admitted that Osmeña, who owns about 90 percent of the whole island, talked with them last week and told them not to vote for Garcia, Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. and their candidates for Provincial Board (PB) members and congressman of the fourth district.
Barangay Captain Ramon Camino confirmed that Osmeña is leaving it up to them whether or not to vote for Mayor Ma. Luisa Loot, who is running for vice mayor, and for Sun Shimura, Loot’s son who is seeking the mayoral post.
But Loot gathered the residents and officials yesterday and asked them to vote for Garcia and the whole One Cebu slate. Otherwise, she would rather have them vote for her opponents in the local post.
Garcia’s party also went to Bantayan Island last Friday.
Chance encounter
The governor, with Sanchez, PB candidates Ribomapil Holganza Jr. and Joven Mondigo Jr. as well as Benhur Salimbangon, who is running for congressman in the fourth district, held a caravan in the entire island before holding a rally in Sta. Fe town.
In the fastcraft they took in going to Sta. Fe from mainland Cebu, Garcia’s group had a chance encounter with Sta. Fe mayoralty bet Rogelio Ilustrisimo and his slate.
Ilustrisimo sat between Garcia and Sanchez during the whole 30-minute trip.
Ilustrisimo will be replacing his son Rogelio Jr. as Sta. Fe mayor under the slate of Reps. Antonio Yapha and Clavel Martinez, who are running for governor and vice governor, respectively.
But during their conversation, Ilustrisimo was overheard assuring Garcia of his support.
“The people of Sta. Fe will not forget what you have done for them,” he told Garcia.
Garcia then asked for the same support for Sanchez, but Ilustrisimo just smiled and changed the topic.
During Garcia’s three years in office, Sta. Fe benefited from Capitol’s level 3 water system, road asphalting and electrification projects, especially in Hilantagaan Island.
Power play
When asked if Martinez will call and confront him for his support for Garcia, Ilustrisimo said he will answer them and that he has nothing to explain.
Garcia also promised Carnasa residents that the electrification project of the island will be among her priorities. Today, the island has electricity from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
In Hilantagaan, Capitol signed a memorandum of agreement with the Bantayan Electric Co. (Banelco) and the barangay to implement the project.
Capitol provided the generator set, Banelco provided and installed the wirings and the barangay provided the facility that housed the generator set.
The ceremonial lighting was done last month and Hilantagaan is now enjoying electricity round-the-clock.
Garcia recalled that she lost in Bantayan Island by more than 11,000 votes.
For his part, Sanchez told the village chiefs that although he came from the party of the Martinezes, he supports Garcia because he does not believe in being vindictive.
In Madridejos town, Garcia was met with a banner saying, “Yesterday, Gov. Garcia you were not welcome. Today, welcome home, Gov. Garcia.”
During the 2004 election campaign, when Garcia went around Madridejos, banners were seen hanging everywhere saying that Garcia was not welcome in the town.
During the rally in Sta. Fe last Friday, Domingo Zaspa, who is challenging Ilustrisimo, said that despite the threats he received, he still pursued his plan to run.
Family ties
Also during the rally, Garcia recalled how Martinez, Yapha and second district Rep. Simeon Kintanar tried to break up Cebu into four provinces.
Salimbangon, for his part, promised that if given a chance to serve the fourth district, he will deliver what the Martinezes failed to give despite their years of service.
For three terms, Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr. served the fourth district as congressman. He was replaced by his wife Clavel, whose third consecutive term will expire this year.
Their son Celestino III is running against Salimbangon.
In Carnasa, Osmeña, who is supporting Yapha and Martinez, observed One Cebu’s program from his golf cart on a hilltop overlooking the school where the rally was held.
Carnasa was the final stop in Garcia’s two-day campaign trip in the fourth district, the turf of the Martinezes.
