Pro-Sugbuak's yielding of a town vindicates antis

Capitol consultant Pablo John Garcia yesterday felt vindicated of the provincial government's position, from the start, that the proposals to divide Cebu into four provinces-or the Sugbuak proposal-violates the provisions of the Local Government Code.

This after one of the Sugbuak proponents said they are now considering giving up one town in the second district to leave the original Cebu province with the remaining land area, as required by law.

Under the law, the remaining area of the original province should not be lesser than 2,000 square kilometers once the new provinces are created.

This might be the basis why the Sugbuak proponents wanted to discard Dumanjug from the proposed new provinces, although Rep. Clavel Asas Martinez (fourth district) was quoted as saying that they are yielding Dumanjug as their gift to the Garcias, their political opponent.

Pablo John assailed this statement of Martinez, saying that it was an admission of the Sugbuak proponents that their proposals would leave the original province with an area below the requirement, violating the law as a result.

Pablo John also criticized Martinez for treating Cebu like her pork barrel for which she could decide how to use it. "Clavel should not treat Cebu as if it is her pork barrel that she can do with it as she pleases,' he said.

Martinez could not also just say she gives Dumanjug to the Garcias as her gift because she does not own Cebu in the first place, said Pablo John.

It would also be preposterous that Dumanjug, located in the second district that Rep. Simeon Kintanar has sought to convert into Cebu del Sur province, would not be part of the new province if ever the Sugbuak succeeds.

Martinez, Kintanar and Antonio Yapha (third district) have proposed to convert their respective districts into separate provinces contending that such move would hasten development in their areas.

The proposals however are frozen in the congressional committee on local government due to technical defects. - Fred P. Languido