Political realignments in Cebu and nationwide
The unabated party-raiding by the bullying partyin-power, PDP-Laban, is pushing local politicians to a very difficult situation in 2019. There will be many towns and cities in the Visayas, Mindanao, and even Luzon where both the incumbent mayors and the local opposition will belong to PDP-Laban. This new version of the KBL is creating its own problem on how to resolve intra-party squabbling for appointment as official party candidates. In Cebu particularly, if and when Gwen decides to challenge incumbent Governor Junjun Davide, both of them shall face major predicaments.
On the part of Davide, his strongest bailiwicks, the second district and the seventh district, will demand a strong and determined leadership in deciding the local bets. Since practically all the incumbent mayors have taken their oath to the PDP-Laban, (and if Gwen becomes the official candidate of the administration in 2019) who will run under the LP of Davide? Will the former opponents of the LPs in Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon all the way to Santander become turncoats and join LP to support Davide? The same question applies to Davide's local followers in Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Badian, Alegria, and Malabuyoc. Will they become followers of Gwen and their opponents who used to fight LP become the followers of Davide? There is a Visayan word describing their predicament: ''bakikaw''.
On the part of Gwen, will such characters as congressmen Willy Caminero and John Peter Calderon who are now PDP-Laban ever support her, considering that Caminero ran and was aggressively opposed by Gwen's father, Noy Pabling Garcia? Bakikaw. Calderon also ran against Gwen's brother Pablo John in the last elections. Will Gwen enjoy the support of her political nemeses? Bakikaw. Is politics really like that? No permanent friends, no permanent enemies, only permanent interests? Bakikaw lagi. Is it possible, albeit remotely, that all positions will be declared "zona libre?" Bakikaw.
Well, as old pundits say, in the Philippine politics, everything is possible. In the last elections senatorial candidate Petilla and Serge Osmeña ran in the same ticket. Serge was very critical of Petilla and Petilla hated Serge for it. They both lost, having junked each other in their respective bailiwicks. Bakikaw. This is the curse of the PDP-Laban. That was the curse of the KBL before. In fact, PDP-Laban was born as a resistance movement against the KBL. Now PDP-Laban shall suffer from a dose of its own medicine. It has created its own problem and it shall self-destruct in due time. It is like a case of PDP-Laban running against PDP-Laban, a case of political incest. Baliw. Bakikaw.