Mayors under the Alayon Party of Cebu鈥檚 1st district will still support Rep. Pablo John Garcia鈥檚 bid for the gubernatorial post in Cebu despite deciding to align with the Liberal Party (LP).
Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong said Alayon Party mayors in the 1st district met last Saturday to discuss the coalition with the LP.
Chiong said that they are only supporting LP in the national level.
鈥淭he coalition is in the national level, we don鈥檛 have a problem with that as much as we, the mayors in the 1st district made a commitment to support PJ Garcia鈥� We are supporting LP in the national level,鈥� he said.
Chiong also said the mayors with Rep. Eduardo Gullas of Cebu鈥檚 1st district haven鈥檛 discussed any plans to take oath with LP.
鈥淚n as much we committed support to PJ in the local level, we stay with our commitment,鈥� he said.
A coalition with LP wasn鈥檛 discussed earlier but Chiong said Gullas informed them that they have a 鈥淐ertificate of Support鈥� from the LP national party.
Chiong said聽 they are waiting on Gullas on whom he鈥檒l endorse as vice governor.
Other discussions in the meeting include the filing of certificates of candidacy scheduled next week.
In a text message to Cebu Daily 黑料社, Rep. Garcia of Cebu鈥檚 3rd district said he鈥檚 thankful to the mayors for their support.
鈥淚 am thankful to all the first district mayors of Alayon led by Mayor Val Chiong, for the reaffirmation of their support, though I feel it was unnecessary because I never for a moment doubted the support they expressed again and again,鈥� he said.
Alayon candidates for mayors include Nicepura Apura of Carcar City, Valdemar Chiong of Naga City, Elanito Pe帽a of Minglanilla, Lakambini Reluya of San Fernando, and Lionel Bacaltos of Sibonga.
Last July, One Cebu lost the Durano clan鈥檚 Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (Bakud) party after it aligned itself with the LP and declared support for the tandem of Hilario Davide III and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale.
Last Saturday, Rep. Tomas Osme帽a confirmed a P400 million fund allocation for the Naga-Carcar road widening project, a pet program of Rep. Eduardo Gullas of Cebu鈥檚 1st district. /Carmel Loise Matus, Correspondent