One Cebu Party Working On Alliance With Duterte After Ditching Binay’s UNA

Presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and One Cebu are working on an alliance after One Cebu severed its alliance with the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

“Nothing is final but we are working on an alliance,” Duterte said in a joint press conference Saturday night with Cebu gubernatorial candidate Winston Garcia, One Cebu president.

“It has to be decided first by some people who are not here,” Duterte said.

Garcia said he approached Duterte as president of One Cebu and after declining a request for a meeting Saturday from the camp of presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe.

One Cebu ended its alliance with Binay’s UNA about two weeks ago.

“I think we are one in having adverse views of Imperial Manila,” Garcia said of Duterte.

“I am comfortable with a president who will give full autonomy to local government units all over the country,” Garcia said.

With 2.7 million registered voters, Cebu is the most vote-rich province in the country.

Before his engagement and the meeting with Garcia at the Sugbutel in Cebu City, Mayor Duterte also visited Toledo City Mayor John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña at his office.

In their press conference, Osmeña said he will continue to support Binay for the presidency, but will not stop his political leaders from supporting Duterte, if they want to do so.

In One Cebu’s case, reelectionist Rep. Gwen Garcia earlier said she would also continue to support Binay, despite her party’s decision to end the alliance with UNA. (PNA) SCS/EB/PJN