Ex-chief justice Davide throws support behind Noynoy

CEBU CITY — Former Supreme Court chief justice Hilario Davide Jr. on Tuesday endorsed the presidential bid of Senator Benigno Aquino III and other Liberal Party candidates, describing them as the ones who can bring "real change" to the country. Davide’s son, Hilario III, is running for Cebu governor under the LP banner. He is going against reelectionist Gwendolyn Garcia, who is allied with administration bet Gilberto Teodoro Jr. At a press conference here with Aquino and national and local candidates of the LP, the elder Davide said he has been "campaigning hard" for the party. "This is the best time for our country to have real change and this change can be accomplished through the leadership of Noynoy and Mar," he said, referring to Aquino and running mate Sen. Manuel Roxas II. Davide said his campaigning for the LP is the reason why he resigned as the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations. The former chief magistrate added that he wanted to use the time to "enlighten our people on the need to choose the best." Ties with Cory During the administration of the late former President Corazon Aquino, the elder Davide was named chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec). But Davide's term was cut short because he headed the Davide Commission which looked into the reasons behind the December 1989 attempted coup d' etat. Davide's term as Comelec chief was assumed by Christian Monsod. In 1991, Mrs. Aquino named Davide as associate justice of the Supreme Court. In 1998, he was named chief justice of the high court by President Joseph Estrada. In November 2000, Davide presided over the impeachment trial of Estrada. The proceedings were cut short when the prosecutors walked out after Estrada's allies refused to open a second envelop supposedly containing incriminating evidence against the embattled Philippine leader. In January 2001, Davide administered the oath of then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the new Philippine president. Vote-rich Cebu With over two million registered voters, Cebu is the top vote-rich province in the country. Three Cebu top officials are members of the influential Garcia clan, namely Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, third district Rep. Pablo John Garcia, and second district Rep. Pablo Garcia Sr., the clan patriarch. All three are endorsing Teodoro, who is not faring well on pre-election surveys. However, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, a member of the influential Osmeña clan which has ruled the province for years, said that even through Cebu delivered substantial votes for President Arroyo in the 2004 elections, Teodoro will not enjoy the same backing. In the 2004 polls, President Arroyo received more than 1.18 million votes. She edged out chief rival Fernando Poe Jr. by about a million votes. "[Arroyo] is not part of the equation here," Osmeña said on Tuesday. "We all respect [Arroyo] in Cebu, me in particular, but she's not a candidate and we are supporting Noynoy and Mar," he added. Osmeña's brother, former Senator Sergio Osmeña III, was absent at the press conference. Osmeña III is seeking reelection under the LP banner. Aquino said Osmeña III has his own approach to campaigning, but assured that the former senator has the solid backing of the party. — RSJ/LBG, GMANews.TV