Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia. (File photo)
THE controversial critic of Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Dr. Rowena Burden, announced on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, her candidacy for the 2025 gubernatorial race.
Burden, who often attacks the governor on her Facebook page, streamed live her plan on the social media site.
She also revealed, through her legal counsel Inocencio de la Cerna Jr., that Garcia’s camp has already filed 10 counts of cyber libel against her over a series of online posts addressing the governor.
SunStar Cebu attempted to reach Governor Garcia through her public information officer; however, there was no response to our queries as of this writing.
Burden said that one of her reasons for running against Garcia is her concern about the state of the healthcare system in the province.
She discussed some of Garcia’s policies upon returning to office in 2019, one of which was the governor’s decision to remove doctors and medical staff from all provincial hospitals and adopt an agency-based and contractual employment system.
Burden argued that Garcia’s policy left the province vulnerable to the entry of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, and she claimed that the governor did not visit a single hospital during the global health emergency.
In the 2022 general elections, Burden said she believed that Garcia tapped Dr. Maria Theresa Heyrosa as her running mate, with an aim to improve the health sector of Cebu.
Despite Garcia winning the election, Burden said she continued to receive complaints from the medical community regarding the inadequacy of medical supplies in public hospitals.
Complaints
Regarding the cyber libel complaints, Burden said her camp had already been aware of it before Governor Garcia left for a 10-day personal vacation in Italy in September.
De la Cerna said their camp had filed a motion for inhibition for all DOJ prosecutors from cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, Toledo, Talisay and Mandaue, as well as the provincial prosecutor and the regional state prosecutor to be impartial in the said cases to ensure impartiality in resolving the cases.
Burden’s camp said these prosecutors are receiving a monthly allowance from the Provincial Government.
Although the law allows prosecutors to receive a monthly allowance from a local government unit, Burden’s camp said their impartiality is crucial to ensure a fair process.
“I hope that these prosecutors will inhibit themselves to cast away any doubt,” de la Cerna said.
The cyber libel complaints were filed before the Department of Justice through the National Bureau of Investigation.
Burden requested fairness in resolving the cases filed against her.
Challenge
Burden also challenged Garcia to sign a waiver for Data Privacy Act to allow her to present to the public all her video-audio evidence, in which she said that it will contain her accusation against Garcia, referring to the alleged sex tapes against the governor.
Burden clarified that she would reveal the name of the official involved only after filing a formal complaint, and she insisted that Garcia must sign the waiver if she wants Burden to release any evidence on her Facebook page.
“Governor, you were already given a chance to face me on Cignal TV (an interview with Burden early this month), you did not show up. I sent an official invitation to your office the other day for you to attend this presscon. I was being fair,” she said.
Burden further said: “What I ask of you now is this: If I send a waiver, a blanket waiver for Data Privacy Act, will you sign it? Will you allow me show video-audio evidence of everything I am accusing you, because Governor, you are corrupt, you are an abuser of power, you are a bully, you are a public shamer, and you conducted sexual affairs with public officials… I will post the name and designation and the circumstances. Give me a signed waiver.”
She added that she has no concerns about the governor’s sexual encounters. However, if such encounters were conducted using public funds and involved a public official, she said she feels the need to intervene.
