Political alliances in Cebu province is now taking shape barely a week before the deadline of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC).

Hilario Davide II and Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. are expected to formally announce their tandem in 2010 in a formal proclamation set today at the Cebu City Sports Club.

On Saturday, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia is calling for a convention with members of One Cebu party at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City.

The party’s choice for president will be announced during the convention.

“We will have to get the commitment of our members to work for the elections of whoever One Cebu endorses for president,” said Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, 3rd district).

Pablo John, One Cebu secretary general, refused to identify the party’s candidate for Provincial Board members in the fourth and sixth congressional districts.

Several names were also floated as possible candidate for vice governor. They were former Mandaue City mayor Thadeo Ouano and Provincial Board Members Agnes Magpale and Peter John Calderon.

Ouano met with Gwen and Pablo John at the Capitol yesterday.

Ouano, however, declined to say what would be discussed during the meeting.

He said his role in 2010 would depend on the decision of the governor being the head of the party.

As for his national affiliations, Ouano confirmed that he has bolted from Lakas-Kampi-CMD and has taken his oath with the Nacionalista Party of Sen. Manny Villar, the party standard bearer.

Pablo John said he understood that the decision of Rep. Eduardo Gullas of Cebu’s 1st district to support Villar’s bid due to their friendship.

Still, he added, Gullas still belonged to Kampi, whose standard bearer is former defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.

“I know that during the past few months, he was torn between his loyalty to the President and his loyalty to Villar. We respect his decision because I know that it was a painful process on his part,” he said.

Pablo John, however, said One Cebu’s alliance with Gullas’ local group Alayon remained intact.

Meanwhile, the son of former senator and Cebu governor Rene Espina Sr. is throwing his hat into the hotly contested 6th district congressional race.

Rene Espina Jr., a member of LP, said he wants to be the party’s official candidate for the 6th district, claiming to have the “same goals” as the party’s standard bearer, presidential aspirant Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

A first-timer into the political arena, Espina may face Ouano, Provincial Board Member Victor Maambong, Mandaue City Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna, former board provincial board member Luigi Quisumbing, businessman Glen Soco, and Mandaue City consultant Edmund Sanchez.

As a neophyte politician, Espina banked on the support of young voters who may want a change in the 6th district.

“Voters in the sixth district are intelligent voters. They can’t be bought,” he said.

LP’s official candidate for Consolacion mayor is former vice mayor Teresa Alegado, he said. He did not reveal the party’s mayoral candidates for Mandaue and Cordova.