The political pot in Cebu is starting to heat up even if it is still more than a year before the 2010 elections.This early, several names have been floated as possible candidates for governor amid speculation that Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia may seek a national post in 2010. These include the governor's brother, Rep. Pablo John Garcia of Cebu's 3rd district, her ally Rep. Benhur Salimbangon of the 4th district and Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano.
Salimbangon laughed off the speculation, saying he would prefer to concentrate in his district first. Durano, for his part, said he hasn’t decided yet what post to run when his term as tourism secretary ends in 2010. The possibility for the governor to run for a national position was “very remote,” said Pablo John. “The governor has already announced that she is here to stay. She is not running for a higher position,” he said. For his part, Pablo John said he is not interested to run for governor. “I have decided to run for re-election in the 3rd district. Three years is too short to finish the projects for my district which are of much significance,” he said. According to former senator John Osmeña, former president Joseph Estrada might field Salimbangon as a candidate for governor in 2010. The Salimbangons are close friends of Estrada. Osmeña said that last week, Estrada was in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, where the former senator is now based. A friend of the former president asked Osmeña if he had any objections to the possibility of Salimbangon running for Cebu governor in 2010. The former senator said the friend informed him that Estrada had held two meetings with Salimbangon and sister Mariquita Salimbangon-Yeung. The most recent was on Nov. 5 when he was also guest in the double celebration to mark the birthday of Yeung's husband Carlos and the couple's wedding anniversary. Osmeña told Estrada's friend that he had no objection for Salimbangon to run for governor but he had to refer the matter to his allies, including Bogo City Mayor Celestino Martinez Jr. Salimbangon defeated Martinez's son, former Bogo town mayor Celestino Martinez III in a bitterly contested 4th district congressional race in the May 2007 elections. His conversation with Estrada's friend left an impression to Osmeña that the camp of the former president wanted to field Salimbangon for governor in 2010. Osmeña said he planned to go to Cebu and talk to Martinez about this. He said Salimbangon has very good chances in the gubernatorial race because he can expect financial support from Yeung, a Hong Kong based businessman who owns two diamond companies in the former British colony. “Well, with the money of Mariquita, that will certainly match all the money of the Garcias,” he said Although Salimbangon is a staunch ally of the Garcias, Osmeña said the congressman could always cross over to the opposite political camp. “I don't think Benhur was always a camp follower of the Garcias. Lahi man na siya og pamolitika (His politics is different). I think he was a candidate of convenience. Wa may makuha sila ni Gwen kontra sa mga Martinez (Gwen could not get anyone to face the Martinezes),” he added. Salimbangon just laughed off Osmeña's statements. He said he would not run for governor but would instead opt to run for re-election. He also said Garcia was in the Nov. 5 double celebration of the Yuengs and even sang a due with Estrada. The former president praised Garcia who, he said, can be a good national leader, not just as vice president but also as president. Salimbangon said Garcia told Estrada that she wanted to focus on her job as governor.
He added that he had no other meeting with Estrada to talk about their political plans. “Definitely I will not be running for governor.” But for Osmeña, Garcia may be eying a national post following her recent visit to Silay City in Negros Occidental for the Adobo Festival. The governor's arrival was greeted with placard-bearing residents, he added. If Garcia leaves the Capitol, Osmeña said she would not hand down the position to Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez. Osmeña said that even before, when Garcia was rumored to run for vice president, the name of her brother Pablo John was already floated to run for governor. Talks were also rife that Durano may run for governor. Two sources, who asked not to be named, said the alliance of the Martinezes, Duranos, Gullas and Sonny Osmeña may happen in 2010 and would field Ace Durano for governor. Osmeña denied this, saying he had not met with them lately. Durano said he had no plans for 2010 because he did not want to be distracted. “Para nako, gusto ko nga magpadayon ko sa pagpalambo sa Cebu, pagpalambo sa atong nasod. Wa lang ko kahibawo kung unsang positiona, unsang papel nga akong kuptan aron makapadayon ko sa maong trabaho (For me, I want to continue to work for the progress of Cebu and the rest of the country. I still don't know what position, what role I would play to continue this job),” Durano said on Thursday afternoon. Pablo John said it was also too early to discuss political alliances. But he said they would continue to be known as the One Cebu party. Several politicians touted to run for president in 2010 have made their presence felt in Cebu and to initiate discussions with the governor. Sen. Loren Legarda attended the governor's birthday last Oct. 12 while Sen. Manuel Roxas sent her flowers with a note that read “looking forward for a bright future ahead of us.” Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay was also at the Capitol early this year to sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the governor for the turnover of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines lot in barangay Kalunasan in Cebu City. Senate President Manuel Villar joined Garcia during the festival in Silay City last week. But Garcia had declared in her State of the Province Address in July that she would not run for a national position in 2010. “I am here to stay,” she had said. Governor Garcia told in a text message last night that her decision remains the same. “When will they ever stop speculating about me and my political plans? Sonny certainly spins a tale,” she said. She said that Osmeña's media pronouncements are nothing but mere “intrigues”. Pablo John said they were prepared for whoever would be their opponents in 2010. “But I'm a little bit disappointed because I was prepared to go against Sonny Osmeña if he decides to run back in his own district (the 3rd district of Cebu),” he said. Pablo John said that Osmeña had challenged his father, Pablo Garcia, to a political battle in the 3rd district congressional race in 1995. But Pablo decided to run for governor, a post he held until 2004 when he decided to run for 2nd district congressman. He is now on his second term. “I never saw the ending to what was supposed to be a historic battle,” he told . Pablo John said that the One Cebu party has not made any commitments to any national party. “But the One Cebu party has become very strong that it has gained a lot of national interests,” he said. Pablo John said that at present, the One Cebu party wanted to just observe the political developments in the country. “Right now, we will just wait and see. The next election is a very important election because we will be electing a president,” he said. He said they wanted to properly choose a presidential candidate who would espouse the principles of the One Cebu party that include decentralization and local autonomy. Their presidential candidate must also be competent and should have a leadership that inspires, he added. | 
