Pamela “Pam” Baricuatro was officially proclaimed as the new governor of Cebu on Tuesday, May 13, at the provincial capitol, despite a pending legal motion filed by her opponent.
The proclamation proceeded even after incumbent Governor Gwendolyn “Gwen” Garcia filed a motion before the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) seeking to suspend Baricuatro’s proclamation. COMELEC has not yet ruled on the motion.
Baricuatro, a political newcomer, defeated Garcia by a wide margin—securing over one million votes, compared to Garcia’s more than 750,000.
Garcia, the province’s first female governor and a long-serving political figure, ran under an alliance with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Meanwhile, Baricuatro was backed by the PDP-Laban party of former President Rodrigo Duterte and endorsed by Vice President Sara Duterte.
The controversy deepens as Garcia remains under preventive suspension issued earlier by the Office of the Ombudsman. She had refused to vacate her post, disputing the suspension order prior to the election.
Despite the legal and political issues, election officials proceeded with the proclamation at the capitol.
Baricuatro’s camp has yet to issue a detailed statement, but supporters have celebrated the win as a major shift in the province’s political landscape.
