LAST Monday, Gov. Hilario Davide III showed reporters a copy of his certificate of candidacy (COC) that said he was running for reelection. He even scoffed at rumors that he was trading places with Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale. That she, not he, was running for governor in next year’s midterm elections.
Then again, what else was he supposed to do? It’s quite obvious that Davide was never in control of his political destiny from the very beginning.
We all know who worked very hard to ensure that Davide would wrest control of the province’s highest post from the Garcias, who had held it for 18 years before that, at the expense of his own political career.
So let’s just say that, for argument’s sake, Davide was trying to save face.
But if that was the case, then why, on the very next day after adamantly telling the public that he was not giving way to Magpale, would he be singing a different tune?
“I firmly believe that with Agnes as governor, Cebu will continue to journey in a path of good governance,” he told the media. As if last Monday’s charade never happened.
It now appears that he was just delaying the inevitable. But what does that say about the guy’s character?
And then last Tuesday, he alleged that the reason many of his former allies had jumped ship to Rep. Gwen Garcia’s One Cebu Party was the pressure they were receiving from influential persons. That they had been threatened with cases or warned they’d be included on the dreaded list of government officials involved in the illegal drug trade.
Of course, Davide would not divulge who these influential persons were.
He said some of the mayors didn’t even want to join the convention organized by One Cebu last Sunday to consolidate forces. That they were coerced to participate.
“Abi nimo, katong ubang mayors kontra gusto. Wala to malipay nga didto sila. Although tingale sila napugos (Some of them didn’t want to be there. They were not happy to be there. Although maybe they had no choice),” he said.
And yet the other day, Davide admitted that he was saddened by the defection of people he thought were his friends. His allies. His supporters. That he was among the only four persons in the province who have stuck it out with the once popular and powerful Liberal Party.
“That’s the nature of politics,” he had lamented. If that was the case, then why stay in politics?
Many people have said that Davide is a good guy. And I have never doubted that. He is, after all, from Argao. Also, he, my father and my two uncles are fraternity brothers.
Maybe he’s just not cut out for this.