Cebu Gov. Garcia quits Duterte’s PDP-Laban

MANILA, Philippines — Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has resigned from the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.

In a letter to PDP-Laban president Jose Alvarez yesterday, Garcia said ”recent events have made it clear that my continued membership is no longer tenable.”

“Please accept this letter as formal notification of my resignation as a member of PDP-Laban, effective immediately,” she said.

Garcia cited the complaint filed against her by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who is the party’s vice president for the Visayas, which she said has created an “irreconcilable conflict.”

Rama filed an administrative complaint against Garcia before the Office of the President, saying she committed abuse of authority, oppression and grave misconduct as well as graft and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees when she issued a memorandum to stop civil works on the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit project.

Garcia’s camp said the governor’s decision was “an act as a steward of the properties of Cebu province.”

Her camp said the memorandum of the governor cited possible violations of law, noting that the project is within the buffer zone of the provincial capitol building, which is considered a national historical landmark.

Garcia said she is ”confident in the legality and ethical soundness of my actions,” but noted that the resulting situation and Rama’s call for her suspension have “made continued association with the party untenable.”

”In light of these circumstances, I believe it is in the best interest of both myself and the PDP-Laban that I step aside,” she said. “The current situation has unfortunately created an environment where my continued membership would be inimical to both the party and myself. “

The One Cebu party, which Garcia founded, aligned with the PDP-Laban when Rodrigo Duterte ran for president in 2016.

Garcia became a member of PDP-Laban in 2019. — The Freeman