FEBRUARY 6, 2026 — Cebu politics isn’t just noisy anymore — it’s downright dangerous. Governor Pamela “Pam” Baricuatro, already juggling disaster response for Tropical Storm Basyang, is now fighting off whispers that she orchestrated the suspension of Minglanilla Mayor Rajiv Enad. And if that wasn’t enough, she says someone has paid millions to have her killed.

Mayor Enad’s one-year preventive suspension, which took effect February 2, 2026, came from a 2024 Ombudsman case over the non-issuance of business permits in Sitio Napo, Brgy. Guindarohan. It’s a legal ruling, not a Capitol move. But on Facebook, the chatter is relentless — accusations that the Governor had a hand in it.

Baricuatro fired back, insisting, “I never wanted to ‘patol’ these FB posts against me, but when it concerns one of my top-performing mayor, I feel the need to speak up for transparency and accountability.” 

She stressed she has “no motive” to meddle in Enad’s case, saying such actions would only disrupt governance.

In a direct appeal to local leaders, she warned, “Mayors, please do not allow malignant whispers to derail our governance. Let us push forward for Cebu.” 

For her, the success of the mayors is the success of the province — and she wants unity, not suspicion.

But then came the chilling revelation. Baricuatro disclosed she’s facing a death threat. Intelligence reports, she said, point to a “killer from Mindanao” allegedly paid millions to assassinate her. 

“If they can’t destroy me, next move is to kill me,” she underscored.

This is where the story turns ominous. What started as a suspension issue has now spiraled into something darker — political fights giving birth to death threats. She believes her opponents, frustrated that social media demolition jobs failed to ruin her, are now resorting to violence.

And while Cebu braces for Basyang, its governor is bracing for survival. She’s asking for prayers, trust, and cooperation with authorities as she faces both a natural storm and a political one.

Are the issues she’s facing really enough to warrant this kind of escalation? Or is this proof of how toxic our political culture has become, where reputation wars can morph into threats of bloodshed?

When politics starts throwing around death threats, you have to wonder — are we still talking about governance, or is this already just a fight for power and survival?

(Image: Pam Baricuatro | Facebook)