Baricuatro team claims: Garcia admin uncooperative

CEBU, Philippines — With less than 20 days left before the official turnover of power of the Cebu Provincial Government, the camp of incoming Governor Pamela Baricuatro has raised concern over the continued lack of cooperation from the administration of outgoing Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, particularly its refusal to release essential public documents needed for a smooth transition.

In a phone interview, Atty. Edmund Lao, who leads Baricuatro’s transition team, expressed concern over the lack of a formal response from both the Office of the Governor and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Provincial Director Dr. Jesus Robel Sastrillo Jr., who also serves as the transition committee’s vice chairman.

“Wala gud tay formal nga nadawat nga response from the Office of the Governor or from DILG Director Sastrillo regarding our request to release essential documents by June 15,” Lao said.

The transition team had earlier proposed that turnover of essential documents and meetings with department heads be permitted between June 16 and 30.

Lao acknowledged that Sastrillo informed them of efforts to follow up with department heads to begin preparing the required documents. He also shared that Sastrillo advised the team that some records may be accessed through other government agencies, including an online portal.

Still, Baricuatro’s transition team emphasized its firm position that the core of the transition process should involve actual meetings and a physical turnover of documents before June 30.

“We strictly interpret the purpose of transition as requiring both a meeting and turnover of documents prior to the 30th,” he said.

“Ang transition is not only about physical documents nga ihatag on the 30th,” he added.

Lao reiterated that these are public documents and should be made accessible to the public and the incoming administration to minimize disruption.

“These documents are public documents, therefore it must be accessible to the public,” he added.

In a May 31 article published by The Freeman, Baricuatro urged Garcia to release the documents “as soon as possible,” citing that these are necessary to guide the incoming administration’s initial 100 days.

Lao clarified that the transition team is not asking for confidential materials but only for essential information to properly orient Baricuatro’s administration, such as status reports on ongoing programs, budget utilization, personnel deployment, and other public records.

“Kung ang purpose sa outgoing administration is to help the incoming administration para dili kaayo naay disruption, ngano dili man himoong available ang documents?” Lao asked.

Despite the delays, Lao assured the public that their team is continuing preparations for the formal turnover on June 30, the assumption of office on July 1, and the crucial first 100 days of Baricuatro’s leadership.

“Rest assured nga bisan walay pormal nga turnover or meeting, we are doing our best with the limitations nga among gi-atubang,” he said.

As of now, Baricuatro’s transition team is also preparing alternative strategies in case the outgoing administration withholds cooperation, including tapping other agencies and public platforms where similar documents may be retrieved.

Election protest: Baricuatro ready to answer Comelec

Meanwhile, the governor-elect is set to file her verified answer to the election protest lodged by Garcia, as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has formally served summons at Baricuatro’s residence in Pinamungahan, Cebu.

In a statement released by Lao, the summons was delivered by courier on June 10, 2025.

With this, a five-day non-extendible period is given for Baricuatro to respond to the protest before the Electoral Contests Adjudication Department (ECAD) of the poll body.

“Gov-elect Pam Baricuatro’s lawyers are ready and set to file said answer for the dismissal of this baseless case,” said Lao.

Lao emphasized that Baricuatro has formed her own legal team in addition to the Manila-based counsel handling the protest.

“The governor has opted to form her own legal team which seeks the dismissal of what is clearly an unwarranted and unfounded case, so that the transition team can focus on ensuring that matters for the

incoming administration will not be hampered,” Lao added.

The protest was filed by Garcia on May 23, 2025, nearly two weeks after she lost to Baricuatro in the tightly contested Cebu gubernatorial race. Baricuatro won by a margin of over 300,000 votes.

In her protest, Garcia alleges that irregularities in the automated election system may have caused votes intended for her to be credited instead to Baricuatro. She particularly questioned votes cast in areas where she supposedly had strong support but lost.

As Lao shared in a phone interview, the protest also raised doubts over the credibility of the election results, suggesting possible pre-programming of election software used during the May 2025 polls.

In response, Lao said that while they are not preempting the substance of the verified answer, it must be emphasized that Baricuatro had no hand in the preparation, operation, or programming of the automated election systems.

“Si Gov. Pam wa may labot anang mga programa. Therefore, unlikely kaayo na pakasad-an siya kay waman siyay labot anang computer or mga software,” he said.

He also revealed that their Manila legal counsel is expected to submit the verified answer by Monday, June 16. A press conference or formal statement will follow shortly after the filing.

Despite the tension that an election protest can bring, Lao reiterated their confidence in the legal process and the Comelec’s fair evaluation of the evidence submitted.

“We are hopeful that the Comelec will see the light in accordance with the evidence that will be presented. We look forward to the dismissal of this case,” Lao said. — /ATO (FREEMAN)