‘POLITICS CAN WAIT’: Gwen brushes off political talks, focuses on helping Cebuanos

Local

FORMER Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has broken her silence on persistent speculation surrounding her political plans for 2028.

Garcia said she is setting politics aside for now to focus on helping Cebuanos amid ongoing crises.

In a statement released on Tuesday, May 19, Garcia said she was neither endorsing any potential candidate nor preparing to announce plans for herself or any political ally.

“At this time, I would like to make it clear that, notwithstanding supposed reports and speculations, I am not leaning toward supporting any individual interested in running for any position,” Garcia said.

“I likewise have no political plans to announce, whether for myself or for anybody else.”

Garcia, who has largely remained quiet following her unsuccessful electoral protest against incumbent Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro, said there were more pressing concerns that deserved public attention.

“There are more urgent matters that require our attention and energy. Right now, I believe my focus should be on how I may be able to extend assistance to those in need during these times of crises, economic and political,” she said.

“Politics can wait. Responding to the needs of our fellow Cebuanos cannot.”

The statement marked Garcia’s first direct response to lingering questions about whether she intended to seek public office again in 2028 or back another candidate following her defeat in the 2025 gubernatorial race.

Speculation about Garcia’s political future intensified after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division dismissed her election protest against Baricuatro.

In a 24-page order dated Nov. 24, 2025, the Comelec First Division ruled that Garcia’s protest was “insufficient in form and content,” citing the lack of detailed allegations of fraud, anomalies, or irregularities across the 4,120 clustered precincts she contested.

The poll body said Garcia submitted only 40 judicial affidavits, 35 of which came from Mandaue City, while no affidavits were presented for the remaining 46 localities involved in the protest.

The Comelec also cited the Supreme Court ruling in the Marcos vs. Robredo electoral protest case, saying the affidavits and allegations presented failed to substantiate claims of electoral fraud.

Among Garcia’s allegations were machine errors, paper jams, rejected ballots, undervotes, and overvotes during the automated elections.

However, the Comelec ruled that these incidents were covered by standard contingency procedures under existing election rules and did not constitute fraud.

The order further noted that even if all alleged overvotes were hypothetically credited in Garcia’s favor, the votes would still be insufficient to overturn Baricuatro’s lead of 342,873 votes.(TGP)