CEBU, Philippines – Cebu 3rd District Representative and Deputy Speaker Pablo John Garcia said he could not advise his party One Cebu to support former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“As the secretary general of One Cebu and as a lawyer, I cannot advise my party to consider supporting someone whose candidacy is in serious doubt,” said Garcia in a statement to local media on Monday, December 13.

Garcia was referring to the cases filed before the Commission on Elections against the presidential bid of Marcos.

The party previously said it would make a decision on whom to endorse for president of the Philippines after the November 15 substitution deadline. The party still has not made a decision as of this writing.

Asked why the party has not made a decision, Garcia told Rappler in a separate message that things are still “fluid.”

“It’s too early and things are fluid,” Garcia said. “One of the contenders faces a real threat of disqualification,” the congressman, who is running for reelection unopposed, added.

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Garcia has been vocal against Marcos’ candidacy ever since poll aspirants filed their certificates of candidacies in October.

Marcos is the son of the ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

On December 3, Garcia posted on his Facebook page a 1986 article from the Los Angeles Times archive reminding the public that his father and Garcia family patriarch Pablo Garcia was an opposition lawyer during the snap election that year.

“I wish to remember my personal hero and the small role he played in the Anti-Marcos movement,” Garcia said. “Thank you, Daddy, for reminding us. Continue to remind us. Visit us in our dreams to constantly remind us. Visit your children. Visit your grandchildren. To remind us. #NeverAgain,” he added.

Garcia told Rappler that One Cebu members endorsing presidential candidates were doing so in their individual capacities.

On Monday, December 6, Garcia referred to Manila Mayor Isko Moreno as the “next president.”

The deputy speaker has been public in his support of Marcos’ rival Moreno and even accompanied him on many of his visits in Cebu province.

Niece supports Marcos

Last November 26, Garcia’s niece Christina Garcia-Frasco, the spokesperson of Marcos’ running mate Sara Duterte, said that 44 of Cebu province’s mayors declared “unequivocal support” for Marcos’ candidacy. (READ: Marcos woos Duterte votes, gets backing of Cebu mayors)

Frasco is the daughter of Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia.

To this, Garcia said “as far as One Cebu and allied mayors are concerned, NO endorsement has been given to any candidate.”

His niece later clarified that she declared their support for the Marcos-Duterte tandem in her capacity as Cebu’s League of Municipalities President.

Garcia, a lawyer by profession, also said he believed the petitions against Marcos’ candidacy have merit.

“I have studied the petitions and speaking as a lawyer, they cannot be lightly dismissed as nuisance, especially those filed by eminent legal scholars like Chairman Monsod and former Supreme Court spokesperson Ted Te,” Garcia said.

As for his sister Gwen, she said that she would let her individual family members decide who they will support so the party would not be divided like it was in the 2010 election.

“I must learn from that,” Gwen was quoted in a CNN Philippines report, referring to when the party supported different candidates in the 2010 elections. “[These] past two years, I have lost two brothers. The other year, I lost my mom or two years ago. This year, I lost our dad. We cannot afford to be divided again,” the governor added.

Gwen supported Gilbert Teodoro’s campaign then, while other members supported the candidacy of Manny Villar.

During Marcos’ last visit to Cebu on November 27, he joked that he was waiting for Gwen’s “sweet yes,” referring to an official endorsement from the most prominent figure of the party.

Still, Gwen said that she had learned her lesson from 2010 and not dictate who the party should support.

In 2016, the party initially endorsed former Vice President Jejomar Binay, before endorsing President Rodrigo Duterte.

One Cebu is credited with helping deliver about 1.1 million votes for Duterte in the 2016 election.

Cebu is the most vote-rich province in the Philippines with over 3.2 million voters as of September 2021. – Rappler.com