Will ‘friend’ Gloria finally sign Gwen’s dismissal?

NOW that Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been installed the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, will she finally serve the mothballed dismissal order against Cebu third district Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia who is a known ally and close friend?

This question cropped up following Monday’s tumultuous change of leadership in the lower chamber which ousted Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as House Speaker.

The power grab also delayed for more than an hour the third State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Garcia was ordered disqualified perpetually from holding public office by the Office of the Ombudsman after she, along with other former Capitol officials, were found guilty of grave misconduct for entering into contracts with Supreme ABF Construction for the acquisition of the controversial Balili property in Brgy. Tinaan, Naga City without authorization from the Provincial Board (PB) in 2008.

The order was issued last February but Alvarez, who was still the House Speaker at that time and also Garcia’s ally, refused to implement it.

Garcia and Arroyo go a long way

When she was still governor of Cebu, Garcia was allied with Arroyo’s Lakas-Kampi Party from 2004 to 2011 before bolting to Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) that year.

Last Monday, Garcia was among 184 lawmakers who signed the Manifesto of Support for Arroyo to be the new House Speaker.

Garcia also attended the Majority Caucus held at the home of Arroyo on Tuesday night where she was photographed hugging and laughing with the former president.

“As it was, is now and ever shall be. GMA and me,” said Garcia in her Facebook post which accompanied the photos she had with Arroyo.

“Some friendships are forged in fire; friendships that endure all things, friends through the good, the bad, and even the very worst of times,” the post added.

A total of six Cebuano lawmakers, including Garcia, voted in favor of Arroyo as House Speaker.

The other five were Cebu City Representatives Raul Del Mar (North District) and Rodrigo Abellanosa (South District), Benhur Salimbangon (Fourth District), Ramon “Red” Durano VI (Fifth District), and Jonas Cortes (Sixth District).

Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas (First District) was not able to sign the Manifesto of Support but said he voted for Arroyo.

Meanwhile, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III is not keen on requesting Arroyo to serve the dismissal order against Garcia.

He said it’s up to Arroyo to decide.

“Wala koy interes ana. Ang akoa lang magpadayon ko sa akong trabaho. Daghan pang tiwasonon trabaho dili ta manghilabot ana sa House,” Davide told reporters in a press conference on Wednesday.

(I have no interest on that. I will just continue with my job. There are still a lot of things to do here).