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Sen. Manuel Villar's offer to align with the opposition group Kugi Uswag Sugbu (Kusug) came with a ?condition.?
Former Metro Cebu Development Project (MCDP) 3 chief Samuel ?Sammy? Darza should be the opposition mayoral candidate, according to an official who also met the senator during his visit to Cebu over the weekend.
?Sammy is not interested of the position but if pushed (by the Villars), he would take it,? a source told CEBU DAILY NEWS.
Former mayor Alvin Garcia said that since Darza was close to the senator and wife, Cynthia, it would not come as a surprise if they would want him to be city mayor.
?Sammy is a very competent person even if he keeps a low profile. I will not object if he will be Kusug candidate for mayor,? Garcia said.
Businessman Jonathan Guardo said that Villar did not present any condition when they met on Saturday.
There was also no mention of Darza, he told CDN.
?We will not allow the national to meddle with our party decisions. But Sammy is very qualified in case he wants to run. He is a good material,? he added.
Guardo and Lahug barangay captain Mary Ann delos Santos met Villar for breakfast on Saturday where the senator presented his plans for the country and offered Kusug to be his local slate.
Both are running a congressional seat in the Cebu City south and north districts.
They also met former president Joseph Estrada late Saturday afternoon.
?But no commitments were made. Everything is still very fluid now,? said Guardo.
He and Delos Santos would have to present the outcome of their meetings with Villar and Estrada to other Kusug leaders.
Garcia said he arrived in Cebu from Manila yesterday and had not yet met Guardo and Delos Santos. But he was aware of their meetings with Villar and Estrada.
?Definitely we will be endorsing a presidential candidate pero as to who, we don?t know yet,? he said.
An important consideration in their selection process is knowing what the candidate could also contribute to Kusug.
Guardo said Kusug would already name its presidential candidate by Nov. 25.
Until then, they would continue to explore their options.
Guardo said a marketing staff from his Manila office called him up yesterday morning to relay an invitation from actress/host Kris Aquino for them to join the Liberal Party of her brother, Sen. Benigno ?Noynoy? Aquino III.
Kris is an endorser of Guardo?s heartvit, a health supplement.
Guardo said there are also invitations for discussions with administration presidential candidate, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.
It was ulikely for Kusug to ally with LP because of the coalition that the national party earlier forged with Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
Guardo said they would ally with another political group.
He and Delos Santos met Senator Villar and Cynthia at the Waterfront Hotel Cebu City Hotel and Casino in Lahug for breakfast on Saturday morning.
They returned to the hotel late in the afternoon to meet with Estrada who was also staying there.
Estrada, Guardo said, sought their support for his candidacy and offered to make Kusug his local group. The former president had told them that he had the support of several countryside mayors.
?We told them that it's going to be a party decision. We will have to consult with the party,? Guardo told CDN.
Guardo said there was no mention of Darza in their meeting with Senator Villar and Cynthia.
?We only told them that the top two slots (mayor and vice mayor) are still up for grab and there are certain quarters pushing us to go for it,? he said.
Guardo said that Raymond Garcia is overseeing the selection of their candidates for councilor.
Former mayor Garcia said he now considers himself as a ?last option? for mayor.
But he would not oppose if Darza were named as their mayoral candidate.
?We feel that the city needs change. The people are tired of an arrogant mayor and a rubber stamp council,? he said.
Garcia said he called up Darza about three weeks ago and asked him if he would be ?interested to run for mayor??
He said Darza, a resident of barangay of Quiot, told him that he was not. But Garcia said he remained hopeful that Darza would change his mind.
?I will push for anybody who can make a difference in our city,? said Garcia.
Garcia said that contrary to the people's belief, it was Darza during his stint as MCDP 3 head, who facilitated the implementation of the 300-hectare South Reclamation Project. He also used to head the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom).
