CEBU (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 23, 2012) – Acting Cebu Governor Agnes Magpale has vowed to uphold the rule of law as she praised the local police force for maintaining peace and order in the province where suspended Governor Gwendolyn Garcia continues barricading in her office.
“The Cebu Provincial Government thru the Office of the Acting Governor wishes to congratulate our Police Forces under the leadership of Police Regional Office Director Marcelo Garbo for having maintained peace and order despite the tensions at the Cebu Provincial Capitol,” Magpale said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
Garcia, a member of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance, has defied a government order suspending her for 6 months following administrative charges filed against her by Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez who accused her of encroachment of legislative powers,grave misconduct, and abuse of authority.
Sanchez died of cancer earlier this year, but the government still pursued preventive suspension against Garcia as the investigation continues. Garcia denied all allegations against her and accused the government of grabbing power.
She said the charges against her are politically motivated, an accusation denied by Interior Sec. Mar Roxas.
Magpale assured the public the operations and day to day functions of the provincial government shall in no way be compromised nor services be hampered by Garcia’s defiance.
“Public office is not absolute neither may the same be subjected to personal caprices
and whims. The people of the Province of Cebu are assured that despite the continued defiance of the suspended Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Your Acting Governor is not remiss in imposing the clear mandate of the law which is to uphold an atmosphere of civility and strict compliance to our Local Government Code and the Constitution,” she said.
Magpale, the sister of Energy Sec. Rene Almendras, said the acts of Garcia unquestionably show a blatant disrespect and mockery of our legal processes and the violation of her sworn oath that she will abide by our laws and uphold the Constitution.
“We will not be diverted by this senseless uproar. Our drive to weed out corruption will even be more intensified. Gwendolyn Garcia and her spending spree while she clings to power will be examined under the sharp scrutiny of this administration,” she said.
Garcia is running for senator and her brother Cebu Rep. Pablo Garcia is seeking the gubernatorial post in mid-term elections next year. Vice President Jejomar Binay, who heads UNA, and their party mates recently visited the embattled Garcia and thrown their support to the politician.
But lawyer Hilario Davide, Jr., an ally of Magpale, also criticized Garcia’s acts of defiance.
“Despite the various avenues for recourse afforded to them by the legal system, she gathered her political allies and displayed the wanton disregard for law and order, and the attachment to power, that has plagued Philippine politics, and is only now slowly being cast out by the reform administration of President Aquino. Kini maoy inutok wang-wang nga tuyo laksi-on sa Pangulo -ang kining pinugsanay’ng pagkapyot kagahom ang dayag nga gipakita ni Ginang Garcia ug sa iyang mga kaubanan.”
He said:”Nothing can be clearer – the UNA brand of politics is diametrically opposed to the agenda of change that every Filipino, foremost of them President Aquino, is trying to espouse. Ang pakigbisog nga Karon atong nasaksihan: trapo batok kabag-ohan. Hunungon na nato. They may barricade themselves up in the governor’s office for now, but the people will render the final judgment through the ballot. (Mindanao Examiner)
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