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Vice Gov. Greg Sanchez Jr. , is free to leave One Cebu.
Membership in the local party created by Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia is not ?imposed,? said her younger brother, Rep. Pablo John Garcia of Cebu's 3rd district.
?We can't keep people from leaving the party. If that is what he (Sanchez) wants, he has freedom to do that,? Garcia added.
The vice governor earlier said he was close to resigning from One Cebu, where he is vice president, because of the entry of rival Tuburan town officials, as well as disappointments over the Balili land purchase fiascao and a Transaxial Highway project that was never implemented by the Capitol.
Pablo John said he finds it difficult to reason with Sanchez because his stand on the entry of Tuburan officials led by Mayor Constancio Suezo into the administration party was already ?non-negotiable.?
?If that is the case, we cannot stop him from leaving. But we will survive (without the vice governor),? he added.
While One Cebu is about to lose its no. 2 official, opposition forces in Cebu province are regrouping to identify their candidates for the local elections.
?We still have a good one month. There is certainly enough time,? said Liberal Party spokesman Butch Abad.
?After discussing the situation on the ground, I think there are enough people working in all districts for us to pull together.?
Abad and Chito Gascon, LP director general, were in Cebu yesterday morning on the invitation of Panaghiusa leaders led by former senator John ?Sonny? Osmeña and Bogo Mayor Celestino Martinez Jr.
Their closed-door meeting at the Casino Español in Cebu City was called ?to discuss what we need to do in terms of promoting the candidacy? of Senators Benigno Aquino III and Mar Roxas and to strengthen the network on the ground.
Next on their agenda is the selection of local party candidates, said Abad.
Hilario Davide III, the LP Cebu provincial coordinator, said a selection process would be followed for their provincial candidates.
Davide, who has been floated as the LP gubernatorial candidate, said he would also submit himself to the process.
Davide, who resigned as Cebu city councilor to focus on the Aquino's campaign in Cebu, transferred his voter?s registration to his hometown in Argao last Monday.
Argao election officer Delilah Fuentes said Davide and his wife Jobella went to her office last Oct. 26 and became registrants of barangay Colawin, Argao.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, former governor Lito Osmeña and some sectoral groups are pushing Davide to run for governor.
Antonio Yapha Jr. , former 3rd district congressman, said he may run again to take back his old House seat occupied now by Garcia.
Another option is to run for Provincial Board member for the 3rd district with re-electionist PB Member Victoria Corominas.
Sonny said the opposition group was prepared to give One Cebu candidates a good fight in 2010.
He admitted that the entry of former allies such as Mayors Arlene Zambo of Toledo City and Suezo of Tuburan town was a loss to the opposition group. Zambo and Suezo have pledged to support and cooperate with Gwen Garcia, brother Pablo John and One Cebu.
?But it does not means that their supporters are not with us,? Sonny told CEBU DAILY NEWS.
He said he understood that opposition mayors had to cooperate with One Cebu to get projects from the Capitol.
He cited the case of Tabuelan Mayor Casiano Gerona who had asked his permission to cooperate with the governor.
Sonny said he understood the mayor's need to befriend those in power because politics in Cebu province is a politics of ?opportunism?.
But he said he was confident that they would continue to have supporters from among the barangay officials and political leaders.
Sanchez is welcome to join the Panaghiusa after the vice governor complained that the Garcias failed to consult him in major party decisions.
Sanchez had told in an earlier interview that if he resigns from One Cebu, he may retire from politics or seek election as an independent candidate or with another group.
He said that he has been talking with leaders of LP and Nacionalista Party.
But Sanchez said he would wait for the Garcias to formally announce the entry of the Suezos, a political rival of the vice governor in Tuburan, before tendering his resignation.
?It seems that I am of no importance to One Cebu. What shall I do? The only thing for me to do is to leave One Cebu,? he told earlier.
Aside from the Suezos entry to One Cebu, Sanchez said he was also dismayed by the nonimplementation of his proposed Transaxial Highway and the Balili land purchase fiasco.
He said he was also disappointed when the Garcias failed to consult him on the selection of Balamban Mayor Alex Binghay as 3rd district candidate for the Provincial Board and the entry of Zambo in One Cebu.
Pablo John, One Cebu executive vice president, and Gwen, party president, were the ones involved in discussion with Binghay, Zambo and Suezo.
?My sister and I believe that in our party, One Cebu, we welcome anyone to share our opinion and programs. That is where we draw our strength,? he told .
Pablo John said they would not prevent anyone, including Sanchez, from leaving the party. Gripes about how their group is being run should be raised to its leadership and not the media, he said.
Pablo John clarified that Zambo and Suezo were still not official members of One Cebu since they have yet to take their oath before the governor even if they have pledged their support and cooperation to Gwen and Pablo John.
He said his sister ?considered welcoming the Suezos into One Cebu because it would strengthen the party?.
?On the issues the vice governor raised against them, these are all allegations that have not been proven,? he added, referring to allegations that Suezo's administration failed to address the proliferation of illegal drugs and violence as well as corruption.
Pablo John said he set a meeting with Sanchez on Sept. 4 so the vice governor can address his concerns against the Suezos. ?But he preferred to air his side with the media instead of the One Cebu leadership,? he added.
Pablo John admitted that it took them a while to meet Sanchez because Gwen had several foreign trips in the last two months.
?Now I don't know if we should push through with the (Nov. 4) meeting because he (Sanchez) wants to make it appear that he has been disregarded by One Cebu. Looy kaayo siya. I don't know if that is the proper thing to do.?
Sanchez' ?non-negotiable? stand on the Suezos is also an indication that he had made up his mind on the matter.
Pablo John also questioned Sanchez' motive for negotiating with other political group and considering the possibility of running for governor against Garcia while he remains a One Cebu member. with Correspondent Jhunnex Napallacan
