Cebu gov admits losing grip on rivals’ bailiwick

CEBU — Gov. Pablo Garcia has admitted that he is losing support from most of the mayors in Cebu’s fourth district after they turned down his invitation for an anti-illegal drugs meeting at the provincial capitol.

Garcia was supposed to meet with the mayors and barangay officials from the fourth district, known as the bailiwick of the Martinez family, the governor’s bitter political rivals, last Wednesday.

However, only 41 of the 181 barangay captains from the nine towns in the fourth district and Daanbantayan Mayor Ma. Luisa Loot appeared at the capitol.

Nobody came from the towns of Medellin, Sta. Fe and Tabuelan. The Association of Barangay Councils of Bogo town also approved a resolution declining Garcia’s invitation.

Garcia said most of the barangay heads were requested by their mayors not to attend the meeting.

In fact, a barangay chairman in Madridejos who was able to attend the meeting claimed that Mayor Letecia Mancio sent him a text message not to join the anti-illegal drugs meeting.

Garcia said he might be losing the support of the mayors in the fourth district, except for Loot, but not the support of the people.

He said that if the mayors do not want to get involved in the program, he would scout for another official in the district to be deputized by the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse and Trafficking Task Force.

Garcia said he is willing to give the barangay officials who failed to honor his invitation to see him and sign the deputization form.

Since Monday, Garcia has been meeting with barangay heads from the various districts to discuss the operation of the task force.

He met first with the more than 300 barangay heads and mayors from the first and third districts, and then on Tuesday, talked to more than 400 barangay heads and mayors from the second and sixth districts. — Freeman News Service