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Sunday, January 05, 2003
Feuding Cebu heads wary on unity plan
By Karen M. Flores
CEBU -- President Arroyo Saturday night invited some 250 guests, most of whom are local and other government officials, to dinner to solicit their inputs on her program to create a unified government for the remainder of her term.
Among the first who heeded her call for unity were Gov. Pablo Garcia, Bogo Mayor Celestino "Tining" Martinez III and Medellin Vice Mayor Ricardo Ramirez, who shook hands and chatted briefly after dinner at the Cebu City Waterfront Hotel.
However, Garcia, Martinez and Ramirez, who had a political fallout early last year, quickly said in separate interviews that what may have seemed to be a "unification" is still liquid because "we will just have to wait and see what happens next."
For her part, Arroyo declined to talk about politics. Despite some officials who asked her to rethink her decision not to run for president next year, she stood pat on her statement.
This way, she told Cebuano officials she talked with when she made the rounds after dinner, she is more believable in her pronouncements since these are no longer tainted by politicking.
Arroyo also told mayors she will announce only on December her choices for the local elections next year.
The joint manifesto prepared by the Cebu chapters of the leagues of mayors, vice mayors and councilors was no longer presented to her since she did not seem interested in entertaining any more talk about reconsidering her decision.
Arroyo arrived here Saturday afternoon for an overnight visit, specifically to stand as one of the principal sponsors in the wedding of the second son of former Cebu City mayor Alvin Garcia.
Security was tight at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral where Jerald Mark Garcia was wed to Christina Marie Wagner at 6 p.m.
Arroyo drew applause and threatened to steal the limelight from the bride as people started clapping for her when she walked down the aisle escorted by former Cebu City vice mayor Renato Osmeņa.
There have been observations that the President seems to have gotten more popular after she announced that she is no longer seeking the presidency next year.
Aside from asking for inputs on her efforts at a unified government, Arroyo also talked to officials about their projects and problems they encounter in their cities and municipalities.
When the President sat at the table where he was at, Governor Garcia said he pointed out that a unified government may be difficult because soon, the country will be divided again with talk of and positioning for the 2004 national and local elections.
When asked about the significance of his chat with the governor, Mayor Martinez said, "there is a difference between political reconciliation and being friends. We were being cordial in a social gathering."
For his part, Garcia quoted a Spanish phrase that translates this way: Courtesy does not take away your courage.
Meanwhile, Ramirez said he was happy Garcia also "extended his hand in friendship" after he called the governor "my original tatay (father)" when Garcia approached their table.
Officials from the other tables clapped when they saw Garcia shaking hands with Martinez and Ramirez, with whom he has been trading hurtful words the past year. KMF/Sun.Star Cebu |
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