CEBU CITY — As the campaign for the local bets kicks-off Friday, another local party - the Kugi Uswag Sugbo (Kusug) of former Cebu City Mayor Alvin Garcia has formalized its alliance with the Nationalista Party headed by Senator Manny Villar.

The alliance which was formalized Wednesday at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel during Villar’s Cebu visit fueled speculations of a defection by local political leaders who had previous commitments with other political parties.

Garcia, who is the cousin of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia of the One Cebu Party however clarified that his cousins have no participation in Kusug’s alliance with the NP.

Governor Garcia’s One Cebu Party supports the candidacy of former Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro, Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential bet.

The former Cebu City mayor, however admitted that his cousin Winston, president of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and brother of Gwen hosted the Marco Polo affair which was attended by around 150 Kusug supporters.

Villar said he was grateful that Kusug chose to ally with the NP and sealed the alliance with a covenant. Garcia and Villar clarified reports of an alleged P65-million financial consideration in exchange for the support of Kusug Uswag Sugbu.

“There is no financial arrangement here because we believe that Villar will be a good president and that he can handle and face the problems of the country once elected as president,” the former mayor said.

In an ambush interview right after the closed-door political meeting, Villar admitted that he met with some of Cebu’s congressmen but refused to divulge details of the meeting.

Sources said First District Rep. Eduardo Gullas, Third District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, Fourth District Rep. Benhur Salimbangon together with Sixth District Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz were present during the closed door meeting.

Of the four, Gullas was reportedly the first to express his support for Villar his local party Alayon having signed a covenant with NP as early as January. The three others – Garcia, Salimbangon and Soon-Ruiz are members of One Cebu.

In a show of force, Governor Garcia also held a meeting with the mayors and vice mayors of the province to strengthen One Cebu’s commitment to support Teodoro’s presidential bid.