More Cebu groups back Pacquiao

CEBU, Philippines —  The presidential bid of Senator Emmanuel “Pacman” Pacquiao is gaining grounds as 21 united parallel organizations in Cebu have signed a covenant of support and unity.

Ed Mendez, regional coordinator of People Champ Movement (PCM), the party of Pacquiao, said these parallel organizations are coming from the Manny Pacquiao Campaign Team (MPCT), which is the main campaign team of the senator, and from other organizations.

Mendez told The FREEMAN that MPCT was the core group of DCT or Duterte Campaign Team and the PDP-Laban in last elections.

Mendez, in a Facebook post, said the signing of the covenant was witnessed by Pacquiao himself and the one who first signed the covenant in front of all his supporters.

Mendez said MPCT, which unveiled its Visayas headquarters in Cebu the other day, is “battle-ready.”

He said the HQ is equipped with a media room, two conference rooms, office of campaign staff, a war room and a training facility that can accommodate 200 volunteers at one time.

Pacquiao was in Cebu for a two-day visit. He arrived on September 26, 2021 and attended the kickoff activity of Abag-PROMDI party wherein the senator was chosen as its official presidential candidate for the upcoming polls.

The following day, Pacquiao visited former Department of Tourism secretary Ace Durano for a “friendly visit.”

“It was just a friendly visit,” the camp of Durano confirmed, saying the Pacman’s Team went to the house of Ace’s father, Danao City Mayor Ramonito “Nito” Durano.

Ace is considering running for Cebu governor.

PROMDI president Mariano “Mimo” Osmeña said he is not privy to the visit.

“I'm not privy to that. As far as Promdi is concern we will support any local candidate who will support SMP even Gwen (Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia),” said Osmeña.

Garcia, the incumbent governor, already made an announcement that she is seeking reelection.

Supporters

Meanwhile, Cebu City Councilor Eugenio Gabuya, Jr. and Liga ng mga Barangay president Franklyn Ong, an ex-officio councilor, have clarified that their presence at the political gathering with Pacquiao last Sunday was in their “personal capacity.”

This means that they went there not bringing the name of their party Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) led by former mayor Tomas Osmeña.

“Pero dili mi nag-represent sa BOPK, amo rang personal,” said Gabuya.

Councilor Lea Japson was also present during the event.

Ong also confirmed that majority of the barangay captains in the city were present in the said gathering.

Pacquiao is now the official presidential candidate of Abag-Promdi, a local party based in Cebu, for the 2022 polls.

He took his oath as a member of PROMDI (Probinsya Muna Development Initiative) in the group’s kickoff activity last Sunday in a hotel at the North Reclamation Area.

Ong, however, said that BOPK has no official announcement yet on what national party they will support, adding that it will be announced in the right time by Osmeña.

Meanwhile, Gabuya expressed his support to Pacquiao but clarified that he did not endorse the presidential aspirant to their party leader as he respects the former mayor’s decision.

“Well, malipay ko kung si Manny Pacquiao maoy dalhon ni Mayor Tom pero kang Mayor Tom gyud na nga decision,” said Gabuya.

“Wala ko mo-recommend pero nananghid lang ko na naa ko ni Manny Pacquiao. Lahi akong national pero magpabilin jud kong BOPK,” he added.

As to the BOPK slate, the councilor said their party is already finalizing it

Gabuya is in his last term as councilor of Cebu City. – Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, KQD  (FREEMAN)