Governor denies Gullas is Liberal Party’s new chief in Cebu’s 1st district
So who’s telling the truth?
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III last night said that neither he nor Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas issued a statement appointing Rep. Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas as 1st district chairman of the Liberal Party (LP) in the province.
Davide said he was surprised when he read in the papers yesterday that the 30-year-old representative of Cebu’s 1st district announced he was “stepping back” from the chairmanship and recommending a free zone in the area.
“There was no such statement from me or from Secretary Mar,” he told reporters at the Capitol.
Davide said there could be no such appointment because Gullas is not a member of LP in the first place.
Gullas, a member of the Alayon party which is now allied with the Liberals, was being considered as LP chairman in the south Cebu lst district to bring in the maximum number of votes for Secretary Roxas in his presidential bid next year.
Davide said in an interview on Wednesday that the option was being considered. At the time, though, he said nothing was final.
The 30-year-old grandson of former Rep. Eduardo Gullas escorted Secretary Roxas during part of his Aug. 24 visit to Cebu with President Benigno Aquino, and sat with the elder Gullas in front row seats on stage of the “Gathering of Friends” LP rally in the Cebu Coliseum.
Both Gullas leaders wore the yellow and black campaign sports shirts of LP, and openly declared their commitment to campaign for Roxas, and reelection bids of Governor Davide and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale in 2016.
In a written press statement on Thursday, Samsam Gullas said he was “willing to step back” as LP district chairman and let the 1st district be declared a free zone to avoid internal conflicts between Alayon allies and LP members who want to run for the same positions in the district, since the “chaos” would adversely affect votes for Roxas, Davide and Magpale.
FREE ZONE
The definition of a free zone, however, was not clear. It refers to an agreement for allies to go different ways in supporting certain candidates.
However, no specific terms were mentioned by Gullas in his press statement
Last night, Governor Davide had no comment on the free zone proposal as well but was aware of the turmoil caused over the entry of Samsam Gullas as an LP ally.
(The Gullas-Alayon party campaigned for LP’s rivals in the 2013 provincial election and the 2010 presidential race. Alayon supported Manuel Villar and Gilbert Teodoro for president, and Pablo John Garcia for governor.)
Davide last night said an appointment as LP district chairman should come from “upstairs”, apparently referring to Roxas, as standard bearer or LP party officials.
“Nigawas ang storya nga gikan kuno nako. That’s the reason karon nga atong mga kauban nasilo kuno nako,” said Davide.
(A story was put out that an appointment was announced by me. That’s the reason our allies are reportedly angry at me.)
Among those who reacted negatively to Gullas’ reported appointment was San Fernando Mayor Antonio “Abe” Canoy, who plans to run for congresss and challenge Samsam Gullas reelection in the 1st district under the LP’s banner next year.
Davide said he has not spoken with Canoy about this development.
“He was just misinformed tingali … kani, it’s all just misinformation,” the governor said.
Davide said he believes Gullas’ press statement was probably issued to appease LP members and allies in the 1st district, which includes cities of Talisay, Carcar, and Naga and towns of San Fernando, Sibonga and Minglanilla.
The governor said Samsam Gullas had nothing to step back from because he is not a member of LP.
Nevertheless, he said LP will remain in contact with Alayon and its other allies.
“The main objective is to ensure the victory of Secretary Roxas here, to get the maximum advantage,” said Davide.
Davide said he was pleased that Alayon expressed its support for Roxas and to his and Vice Governor Magpale’s reelection bid in 2016.
But with the thorny situation in the 1st district, the alliance with Alayon will be tested.
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