Representative Gullas ok to quit LP post

CEBU, Philippines - Representative Gerald Anthony "Samsam" Gullas is willing to take a "step back" as the LP district chairman of the Cebu first district.

Gullas said this after learning that some members of the LP have illfeelings towards Cebu Governor Hilario “Junjun” Davide III, the provincial head of the LP, for designating him as the district chairman.

The homegrown Alayon Party, formed and headed by former first district congressman Eduardo Gullas, the grandfather of Samsam, is in coalition with the LP and has already expressed its support to Davide, who is running for reelection, and LP standard bearer Mar Roxas who is running for president.

Gullas said that as district leader, he has the privilege to evaluate and appoint candidates for mayor of the LP in the first district.

"I am not unmindful of the fact that some members of the Liberal Party in the district expressed their unwanted dismay of me as the district leader, having hailed from a different party before," Samsam said.

Samsam said that it was also discussed that he will become the official standard bearer for the congressional post but the mayors in the district will be in a free zone, but he said he will not leave his Alayon mayors.

"I will never leave my mayors behind. I wouldn’t want to be an official candidate while my mayors fight it out in a free zone. I will stick it out with them every step of the way," Samsam said.

The first district is composed of the cities of Talisay, Naga and Carcar, and municipalities of Minglanilla, San Fernando and Sibonga. Of the six, only Talisay City and San Fernando are not currently controlled by Alayon.

Samsam said he is worried that there will be trouble if he will pick his Alayon mayors to be the official candidates of the LP.

Samsam will be challenged by San Fernando Mayor Abe Canoy while Eduardo Gullas will be running for mayor in Talisay City against incumbent Mayor Johnny de los Reyes.

Both Canoy and De los Reyes are the original members of the LP in 2010 who supported Davide when he ran for governor.

"This will cause chaos in our different LGU's because other Secretary Mar Roxas, Governor Junjun and Vice Governor Agnes (Magpale) supporters will oppose it. When the dust will settle, what will happen is that the LP standard bearer will be the one tremendously hit, Secretary Mar will suffer the most and it is Alayon’s main priority that Secretary Mar will win heavily in the first district of Cebu. That is why I’m willing to take a step back for the benefit of Secretary Mar," Samsam said.

"I do not want that internal conflict may arise so as to cause trouble for the candidacy of Roxas, Davide and Magpale. Thus, it’s necessary to take a step back, I am willing to submit to it and let those who want to become public servants running under the banner of LP exercise their right to participate in the election process," he added.

Samsam said that he would prefer that the district be a free zone so that candidates can fully support Roxas and LP provincial leadership.

A political party declares a city or province a free zone when it fields no candidate there.

Mayor De los Reyes, who was appointed LP chairman in the city for the coming 2016 elections, insisted that the LP should endorse LP members and not those from another party.

"Mura'g lisod na ang free zone. Ako man ang gi-acknowledge sa LP kay bisan unsaon nila pag-color-color kita man gyud ang tinuod nga yellow ang Liberal," De los Reyes said.

Canoy said he was mad when he learned about the designation of Samsamas district head, reminding the administration LP that in 2010 he was the only one who supported Davide while the others supported the reelection bid of former governor and now Representative Gwendolyn Garcia. (FREEMAN)