She may have resigned from Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP–Laban), but Gov. Gwen Garcia said she is not breaking personal ties with other party members with whom she has “stuck it out” since 2019.
“No effect at all. Walang personalan to,” Gov. Garcia said when asked during a press conference on May 28 what could be the possible ramifications of her decision in relation to her personal ties with other PDP-Laban members.
“This is just about whether I should continue to stay in a Party where the Vice President for the Visayas, suspended Mayor Michael Rama, has instituted an action inimical to myself and my continued service as Governor because he has asked for my suspension,” she added.
The press conference centered on the governor’s letter of immediate resignation from the Party and addressed to PDP-Laban president and Palawan Congressman Jose Alvarez.
In her letter, Gov. Gwen said the action of party member and suspended Cebu City Mayor Rama in filing a complaint before the Office of the President and praying for her suspension has created an “irreconcilable conflict” that has made her “continued association with the party untenable.”
“It came as a surprise to me, in fact, that a fellow partymate and an official at that of the party would instigate such an action against a member of PDP-Laban,” Gov. Garcia said.
“I have tried to look for all reasons to stay, but it has really become untenable. It really also goes against my own principles and convictions. I do not do that against a fellow partymate. We believed in the same principles. We should have upheld the unity of the party, especially when I have not committed anything illegal,” she added.
In March, Mayor Rama filed an administrative complaint before the Office of the President against Gov. Garcia for “dishonesty, oppression, misconduct in office, gross negligence, or dereliction of duty;” “abuse of authority”; and “other such grounds as may be provided by applicable general and special laws.”
The suspended mayor’s move came after Gov. Garcia issued Memorandum No. 16-2024 in February, ordering the project developer of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, to stop the construction of towering BRT bus stations along Osmeña Boulevard for it would cover the façade of the Capitol building when viewed from Fuente Rotunda, thereby destroying its cultural integrity which is protected by law.
She added during the presscon: “I did not ever think that a major official of the Party itself would file a complaint against me before the Office of the President and ask for my suspension based on my decision to uphold the law as far as the cultural heritage of the Capitol is concerned, as far as protecting the (Capitol–Fuente Rotunda) Vista Corridor is concerned, as far as fulfilling my obligations as the steward of all properties of the Province of Cebu while I serve as the governor.”
She also thanked PDP-Laban for the opportunity to contribute to the party’s cause while she was still a member. Moving forward, however, the governor said she is not looking to join other parties as she would just devote her undivided One Cebu Party which she chairs.
“I will just step back. Anyway, we have our own local party, One Cebu, to which probably I would say 95% of the political leaders in the entire island are either a member of, or are aligned with, the One Cebu Party. And I will continue to lead this Party with judiciousness, prudence and always with the goal of achieving unity,” she said. | BJR
