Tomas to befriend PJ if latter loses guv bid

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas Osmeña is willing to “reconnect” with Cebu 3rd District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, the brother of Osmeña’s nemesis, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, only if Pablo will lose in next year’s gubernatorial race.

Pablo is running for governor under One Cebu Party while Osmeña is supporting former Cebu City Councilor Hilario Davide III of the Liberal Party.

“After he loses, we can be friends,” Osmeña said.

Osmeña himself is bent on taking back the mayorship from erstwhile friend and political ally Michael Rama.

Osmeña made the pronouncement after Pablo John said he will work with the Cebu City government if he wins governor, irregardless of who will be running the city. This is because he would want to continue what the governor has started.

Osmeña and Pablo John used to be friends but the relationship turned sour when a misunderstanding occurred between Osmeña and the governor in the 93-1 landswap issue.

Osmeña was also dismayed when Pablo John proposed to subject to a congressional inquiry the ownership of the South Road Properties (SRP), including the purchase of SRP lots by the Filinvest Land Incorporated.

“Pablo John hasn’t been able to bring in an investor in his district. Instead he has engaged in a smear campaign against Filinvest, one of our biggest partners. The Garcia’s claim that the SRP is illegal, unconstitutional and should be abolished. Both he and Gwen have a wild temper,” Osmeña said.

Osmeña is strongly supporting Davide, son of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide II, as the Liberal Party’s guvernatorial candidate. It will be Davide’s second attempt at the governorship after he lost to Gwen in the 2010 elections.

It was Osmeña who advised Davide to resign as councilor of Cebu City one year before the 2010 elections so he could accept the offer to be provincial chairman of Liberal Party and eventually the party’s candidate for governor.

Meanwhile, Rama said he will support to any qualified Cebuano if they decide to run for higher elective positions like senator. He, however, did not give the same pledge for Osmeña on the possibility of the latter to seek for higher office.

Asked to comment on the governor’s announcement to run for senator, Rama quickly said Cebuanos should avoid the crab mentality and unite behind the bid, saying the governor is qualified to the position.

“If a person is qualified, why should we not support them(sic)? Who will you support, a non-Cebuano?”  (FREEMAN)