CEBU Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has resigned as member of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), citing the tension between her and suspended Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama as the reason behind her decision.
In a press conference on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, Garcia said that it was Rama’s complaint filed against her before the Office of the President that prompted her to leave the political party.
Rama, in his complaint, petitioned for the suspension of Garcia as Cebu governor.
Garcia said Tuesday that she has been a member of the PDP-Laban since 2019, while Rama served as the party's vice president for the Visayas.
PDP-Laban was also the political party of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The tension between the two officials started on February 27 when the governor issued a cease-and-desist memorandum, ordering the suspension of the civil works for the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project phase 1 in front of the Cebu Capitol Building, citing potential heritage violation.
Garcia ordered the project's proponent, which was the Department of Transportation, to seek the approval of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines based on the Grade 1 Level Heritage Protection under Republic Act 10066, or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.
Garcia said that Rama could have asked for clarification regarding the memorandum, but the mayor instead filed the complaint, expressing his disagreement with the governor's decision.
She said that her actions have only upheld the heritage law of protecting the "Vista Corridor" of the more than 50-year-old Capitol building in comparison to the modern design of the CBRT project.
Meanwhile, Garcia said that Rama has several abuses of authority following the incident involving the Cebu City Government against the Cebu Ports Authority (CPA) and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD).
She said she has no plan of joining any national political party at the moment, but she will continue to lead the local political party, One Cebu, which has the majority of the officials in the province.
"I will continue to lead this party with judiciousness, prudence, and always with a goal of achieving unity. We have achieved unity, and our challenge is to maintain that unity," Garcia said.
Garcia serves as the current chairperson of the One Cebu Party.
She said her resignation from PDP-Laban party will not affect her relationship with other party members.
In her letter to Jose Alvarez, president of PDP-Laban, Garcia said that it is in the best interest of the party and herself for her to step aside as it will avoid any actions that would be detrimental to the party. (EHP)