THE United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) on Wednesday accused the administration party of grabbing power in Cebu by suspending Gov. Gwendolyn “Gwen” Garcia for six months and immediately installing Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale of the Liberal Party (LP) as acting governor.

UNA Secretary General Tobias “Toby” Tiangco said Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas 2nd, also the LP president, was the mastermind of the “power grab” so that Magpale could take over and give the LP effective control of Cebu province.

Tiangco, also representative of Navotas, said Roxas’ move was a revival of the Arroyo administration’s practice of using government power “to harass and persecute political opponents.”

“This is Gloria part 2!” he added.

Garcia, now on her third and last term as Cebu governor, is seeking a seat at the House of Representatives under the auspices of UNA.

“Apparently, Secretary Roxas is using the vast powers of his office to dig up old complaints against local officials and use these cases to harass and intimidate,” Tiangco said.

Roxas and Malacañng defended the suspension order against Garcia and denied that politics was involved in pursuing the case against her.

“Natural yan ang sasabihin ng mga hindi sumasang-ayon dito at mga supporters ni Gov. Garcia. Tanggap natin na babaluktutin nila o tatapunan ng putik ito [Naturally, that will be claimed by those who disagree with this and by those who are supporting Governor Garcia. We accept that they will distort and throw mud at this],” Roxas said in a hastily called press briefing in Camp Crame.

The suspension order stemmed from an administrative case filed by the late former Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr., in November 2010, five months after the Aquino administration took over. He accused Garcia of alleged usurpation of authority and cutting the budget of his office.

Roxas contended that Garcia was accorded due process. He said that the case against her was investigated in November 2010 by the DILG then under the late Secretary Jesse Robredo.

The DILG investigation found violations and recommended Garcia’s suspension to the Office of the President.

“The Office of the President reviewed the whole process and all of its legal basis. Yesterday, the Office of the President issued an order suspending her and we at DILG merely implemented this order,” Roxas said.

Malacañang also denied that the suspension of Garcia was politically motivated.

“It’s just the regular process. It wasn’t viewed in a political manner,” Strategic Communications Secretary Ramon “Ricky” Carandang said.

He said that the administration was duty-bound to act on any complaint. He added that charges of political motivation would also be aired if the administration had not acted on a complaint.

“So we’re entering the season where pretty much you’re damned if you, you’re damned it you don’t. For us, we will just let the processes take their course,” he said.

Not surprised
The opposition bloc in the House of Representatives said it was normal for the Aquino administration going after public officials who do not belong to the LP such as Garcia and Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino Jr.

Tiangco pointed out that Cebu and Pangasinan are vote-rich provinces, accounting for at least 2.5 million voters.

Espino is facing a P900-million plunder complaint filed by Mayor Rodrigo Orduña of Bugallon, Pangasinan, who claimed that the governor received jueteng payola.

Espino is seeking a third and last term and will be pitted against Mayor Hernani Braganza of Alaminos City who is LP’s gubernatorial bet.

House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez of Quezon said that they were not surprised by the government’s move to suspend Garcia.

“The administration will try to clip their opponents’ influence to make their candidates stronger. I am not saying that Braganza is not a strong candidate, but the expose would change the scenery in Pangasinan,” Suarez said in a press conference.

“They [administration] would want to control all the local posts by 2013. There’s nothing wrong with that,” Suarez added.

The Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) said that the charges against Espino were mere allegations.

Rep. Rex Gatchalian, NPC spokesman, said that no proof was presented to back up the accusations against Espino.

The NPC is headed by Eduardo Cojuangco, the uncle of President Benigno Aquino 3rd.

Gatchalian described Espino as a member of good standing who has a long and distinguished track record as a public servant.

“The NPC is solidly behind Gov. Espino who has been dragged into this controversy not by his own doing but by some people who were out to destroy his good name and reputation,” he said.

Of the 48 town and city mayors of Pangasinan, 39 belong to the NPC just like Espino.

“Let us not forget that elections are coming, and given the huge advantage that he enjoys over his perceived opponents as evidenced by the latest survey results, it is not hard to think that politics could be the reason behind all these [attacks]. In the end, we are confident that Gov. Espino will be vindicated not only in the forthcoming probe on the matter but more importantly in the coming elections when the people would surely re-elect him into office,” Gatchalian added.

WITH REPORTS FROM CATHERINE S. VALENTE AND LLANESCA PANTI