Cebu vice gov turns down Garcia’s invitation

CEBU — Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez has turned down another invitation of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia for a joint inauguration with the provincial board.

"Dili mi gusto nga ang legislative independence ma trampled (I don’t want our legislative independence to be trampled)," Sanchez said.

He added that being in one occasion with Garcia might be misconstrued that the provincial board is her rubber stamp.

Garcia had wanted to hold a joint inauguration with the provincial board as her gesture of reconciliation so she invited the board members last Friday to a meeting where they could discuss the preparations.

But Sanchez and the provincial board members did not show up.

Sanchez said they felt slighted by Garcia’s memorandum threatening to sanction all provincial employees and officials who may fail to attend the general assembly.

Garcia quickly apologized, saying the personnel division made a mistake in giving a copy of the memorandum when it was supposed to be given only to employees and department heads. She said she has already scolded her personnel for that miscue.

Despite the apology, however, Sanchez said the provincial board would not hold a joint inauguration with Garcia.

"She can invite us and we will invite her, too," he said.

Garcia said she respects the decision of the vice governor.

The provincial board will hold its inaugural session and present its legislative agenda on July 7, while Garcia will deliver her inaugural address on July 8, at 6 p.m., at the Capitol’s social hall.

Preparations for the inaugural address are set, Garcia said. She has ordered her staff to still send invitations to the provincial board members.

At this point, Garcia may have a hard time getting help from the provincial board based on the latest actuations of Sanchez who claimed that he has control of the opposition-dominated board.

Sanchez, an ally of defeated gubernatorial bet Celestino Martinez Jr., said he and his party’s board members have forged ties with the allies of former vice governor John-John Osmeña, who also lost to Garcia.

This put the opposition in an absolute majority at the provincial board, with 11 members against only four of Garcia’s, Sanchez said.

He said the opposition has board members from the first, third, fourth and fifth districts, plus sixth district board member Luigi Quisumbing and ex-officio youth leader Martin Calderon. — Freeman News Service