Cebu City Councilor and vice mayoral candidate Raymond Garcia says his Kusug party has yet to decide on whom to back as the presidential candidate in the elections.. | CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City’s Partido Kugi Uswag Sugbo (KUSUG) led by vice mayoral candidate, Councilor Raymond Garcia, has yet to name a presidential candidate to support.
This despite the pronouncement of Rama-led Partido Barug supporting the candidacy of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. or BBM.
KUSUG is in coalition with Barug and Panaghiusa with the parties having the same standard bearers for the local elections: Mayor Michael Rama running for mayor and Garcia running as the vice mayor.
However, it must be noted that KUSUG’s founder, former Cebu City Mayor Alvin Garcia, the councilor’s father, was a Martial Law oppositionist and was opposed to the Marcos rule in the 1980s.
The Daluz-led Partido Panaghiusa has already made a statement refusing to endorse BBM because the party was formed in the middle of the Martial Law to fight against tyranny and for democracy and justice.
Councilor Garcia said that even though that he was the President of KUSUG, the party must decide as one.
“But definitely, as a Barug member as well, I will support the stand of the party to support BBM. Definitely, I will respect,” said Garcia.
KUSUG’s members and officers include Councilors Jerry Guardo, Joel Garganera, Rey Gealon, Niña Mabatid among many others.
It was relaunched in June 2021 ahead of the filing of the certificates of candidacy.
Garcia said that since most members of KUSUG were also members of Barug, there was a chance that the party would be endorsing the same candidate.
However, there will also be a chance that the party will not be endorsing the same candidate nor endorsing any candidate for that matter.
The councilor said the board of directors and the members would make this decision and he would respect and abide by the decision of his party.
Whatever the results of their meeting this week, Garcia assured that just like Panaghiusa, KUSUG’s coalition with Barug would remain steadfast for the upcoming elections this May.
RELATED STORIES
Cebu City’s Barug-PDP Laban endorses BBM-Sara
Barug-PDP Laban awaits Duterte instruction on who to endorse for president
Barug, Kusug, Panaghiusa join forces anew for 2022
Barug-KUSUG’s support for BBM divides coalition
/dbs