‘Plan to file more cases vs Garcia shows LP’s repressive side’

MANILA, Philippines - The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) said yesterday that the plan of the Liberal Party (LP) to file 16 more cases against suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia is part of the ruling party’s plot to weaken political rivals in the coming May elections.

UNA secretary-general and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco said LP is showing its “repressive side” with the crackdown on rivals, which proves that the administration of President Aquino is departing from its “daang matuwid” (straight path) policy.

“LP’s repressive tactics in Cebu only mirror its high-handed style in dealing with its political enemies,” Tiangco said.

Governor Garcia, UNA’s gubernatorial bet in Cebu, was ordered suspended by the Office of the President for six months over an administrative case filed by the late former vice governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr., who accused Garcia of committing acts of usurpation, including the hiring of employees, consultants and slashing the budget of the Office of the Vice Governor.

Tiangco said LP should respect the appeals process after Garcia asked the Court of Appeals to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the suspension order against her.

UNA senatorial bet Ernesto Maceda said that the statement of LP Cebu official Democrito Barcenas regarding the filing of additional charges against Garcia removes all pretenses about the motive behind the suspension.

“The statement confirms that the Garcia suspension is a Liberal Party project and smacks of political harassment,” Maceda said.

“This move is certainly below the belt and if the reports are correct that they are questioning the use of provincial buses to carry Cebuanos from the different towns to the provincial capitol, that is certainly petty and is not sufficient ground for another charge against the governor,” Maceda said.

Another UNA senatorial candidate, Margarita Cojuangco, an aunt of President Aquino, said the filing of new cases against Garcia is obviously not in line with the President’s “matuwid na daan” policy.

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II can no longer claim that he is ignorant of the charges against Garcia, she said.

Cojuangco said Garcia could get more sympathizers with the persecution of the governor.

“Hopefully, this is not a politically motivated witch hunt and trial by publicity,” said Sen. Gregorio Honasan.

UNA senatorial bet Nancy Binay said due process and respect for the rule of law appear to have been set aside by the LP with its plan to deluge Gov. Garcia with cases now that the election period has started.

Former senator Richard Gordon said that from the moment Garcia filed her certificate of candidacy, any move against her could be viewed as politically motivated.

UNA senatorial candidate Jackie Enrile expressed his full support for the embattled Garcia.

Meanwhile, Garcia’s counsel Tranquil Salvador III expressed confidence that the CA would issue a TRO.

Salvador met Garcia yesterday at the Cebu capitol as the governor filed her manifestation with supplemental reply to her application for a TRO now pending before the 12th Division of the CA composed of Associate Justices Vicente Veloso, Aurora Lantion and Eduardo Peralta.

He explained that there was no distinction between the powers of the CA and the Supreme Court to issue a restraining order in cases similar to Garcia under Rule 43.

Salvador cited the case of Ramon Gonzales vs. CA in which a TRO was issued to a petition for review under Rule 42 against the execution of the decision in the civil case, and subsequently a writ of preliminary injunction was also issued.

In Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, et. al. v. Honorable Office of the Ombudsman, et.al., the CA also issued a TRO against the latter pursuant to a petition for review under Rule 43.

Ma. Christina Esperanza Garcia-Frasco, the governor’s daughter, said that whenever Garcia shall be subjected to continued political harassment and persecution, the governor is willing to face it head on as she has from the very start.

“If they go the route of trying to force themselves into the governor’s office and physically or forcibly remove the governor should the TRO be denied, then as the governor has said, they will have to break down the door, they will have to physically take her and that I think will not sit well with the Cebuanos or with the Filipino people,” Frasco said.

Meanwhile, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Cebu provincial supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said they would have to wait for their law department to decide whom to provide security escorts, suspended Governor Garcia or acting Gov. Agnes Magpale.

Castillano said that after submitting his letter to Comelec Regional Director Temie Lambino, this would be coursed through central office and the law department, which is the proper body to interpret legal matters and resolutions.

He clarified that he is aware of the current situation at the capitol, and the confusion over who should be given official security escorts this election period.

 Castillano said police escorts are assigned to the incumbent governor and members of the House of Representatives during the campaign period for the May 13 polls. He requested clarification on who between Garcia and Magpale is considered the incumbent governor.  – With AJ de la Torre, Gregg Rubio/Freeman