Two sons of famous national leaders struck an alliance for “change politics” in Cebu.
Cebu City Councilor Hilario Davide III was appointed yesterday as the provincial chairman of the Liberal Party.
His job is to ensure the victory of Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III's presidential bid and other party candidates in Cebu province.
The new role has also reinforced another possibility: that Davide would be fielded to run for governor against incumbent Gov. Gwen Garcia.
“If drafted by the party to run, there is a possibility that I will accept the draft,” he told CEBU DAILY NEWS.
“If you're the party chairman people also expect you to be the standard bearer. But I would still subject myself to the process because there is really a process of selection (in the party),” said Davide, a 45-year-old lawyer.
Reliable sources said Davide's name was endorsed by former Cebu governor Emilio Osmeña and Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
Davide, eldest child of former Chief Justice and now Ambassador Hilario Davide Jr., said he will tender his resignation on Monday as a member of the city council, where he's serving his second term.
He was the no. 1 councilor in Cebu City during the 2007 local elections after garnering the highest number of votes.
But is he qualified to seek election in the province?
Davide told CDN that he is.
The councilor said he could have his voter's registration transferred to the family's hometown in barangay Colawin, Argao in south Cebu before the Oct. 31 deadline. A candidate for a local post is only required six months residency in the locality where he is seeking election, he said.
Senator Aquino announced Davide's appointment as LP provincial head yesterday.
Davide stayed by the senator's side when they visited the Sacred Heart Center gym to meet members of the Noynoy Aquino for President Movement.
With them were Sen. Manuel Roxas, who earlier announced he would run for vice president, and two LP senatorial aspriants: Akbayan partylist Rep. Risa Hontiveros Baraquel and former Bukidnon representative Neric Acosta.
About talks that Mayor Osmeña had a hand in Davide's appointment as LP provincial head and gubernatorial bet, Davide said “Probably LP (officials) sought the mayor's comments but I am not privy to that.”
LP campaign manager Butch Abad said they are now discussing with local political figures plans to field local candidates.
Davide said he was drafting his resignation letter to submit on Monday.
“I think that is the appropriate thing to do because I will now have to concentrate my efforts in the province and organizing youth and civic groups to ensure the victory of Noynoy in the province,” he said.
The task includes recruiting volunteers in Cebu towns and cities, and help identify LP local candidates.
“I really intend to resign (from the city council) because my focus now will be the province of Cebu,” Davide told CDN.
CLOSE FAMILIES
Davide said that because of his family's closeness with the Aquino family, he could not refuse any offer that Senator Aquino would make.
“My family is very pro-Cory even since 1986. Maybe also because the late president Aquino supported my father during the height of the impeachment case against him (as chief justice). Former president Aquino even came to Cebu for that,” he said, recalling a rally in Fuente Osmeña.
The late president Aquino appointed his father as a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission and later as chairman of the Commission on Elections.
Davide Jr. was also appointed to head the Davide Fact-Finding Commission formed to investigate the 1989 coup d'etat attempt on the Aquino administration. Cory Aquino kept her close association with the Davide family even after her term as president ended.
Davide said his support for senator Aquino's candidacy is not only because of their family's closeness.
He said the senator was a man of integrity and he was incorruptible.
“I have yet to hear stories (of his misbehavior). I think he will make a fine president,” said Davide.
For now, Davide said he is consulting his wife, Jobella, and father, Hilario Jr. who is based in New York as Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations.
“I have not actually discussed this at length with him (my father). I believe he is open to the idea.”
“He said that if ever I will run for higher office, he'd come home and campaign for me./Reporter Doris C. Bongcac with Ma. Bernadette A.
Source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20091018-230719/Noynoy-Aquinos-pointman-for-Liberal-Party-Cebu-also-eyed-for-governor
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment