Tom asks DU30 what matters: Politics or drugs?

CEBU, Philippines - What is more important, politics or drugs?

This was the question posed by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to President Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte as he pointed out that Team Rama, which is expected to take oath before Duterte's Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, is being led by an alleged drug protector.

 "Well the key question is that they are not fooling anybody, they're all beholden with Rama who is suspected of protecting drug lords. So is this the image the administration wants to project? That politics is more important than drugs? They cannot shy away from that issue," he told reporters.

Team Rama Panaghiusa is headed by defeated mayoralty candidate Michael Rama who was included in a list of drug protectors read over live television by no less than Duterte himself.

With this, Osmeña suggested to the president to tell Rama to undergo a lie-detector test with him in order to determine who really had connections to slain drug lord Jeffrey "Jaguar" Diaz. He then preempted that Rama would decline to undergo such a test.

"Of course he will decline, that's obvious," Osmeña said.

Osmeña also made the dare earlier after Rama's camp kept claiming he had links to Jaguar.

"After Jaguar was killed, Mr. Rama's allies accused me of having Jaguar liquidated to cover up his dealings with me. After the president himself named Mr. Rama as a drug protector, they repeated the same thing in his defense. Well, who let Jaguar prosper the six years he was mayor?" Osmeña earlier said.

Osmeña also said Team Rama allies are not loyal to Duterte but to Rama.

The mayor also did not answer directly if he will eventually join PDP-Laban.

 "You know the basic principle of BOPK is that we're only loyal to the people of Cebu City," Osmeña answered.

In a separate interview, Rama clarified that the oathtaking has nothing to do with the allegations he is a drug protector. He said House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez consulted with him on the matter when he attended Duterte's State of the Nation Address.

He said Team Rama also asked and got permission from defeated United Nationalist Alliance presidential candidate Jejomar Binay to support PDP-Laban.

However, Rama said he did not want the move to be mistaken as transferring to another party; rather he said it is just a friendly alignment with the new administration.

He also did not answer if he would either join the group or take oath separately under the said national party.

With regards to clearing his name, Rama said that he is still discussing the matter. After he was named a drug protector, Rama went to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to seek documents proving the claims, but PDEA-7 said they were the wrong office to approach.

Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, commenting on the statement of Osmeña, said Team Rama is also loyal to the president.

"Well that's his opinion but it is always been our position that we are 100 percent supportive of the programs of President Rodrigo Duterte. Especially in his fight against criminality and specs with highlighting the crime against illegal drugs. And on a personal note ako as vice mayor I am with him especially on his no-nonsense crusade against graft and corruption in the government. Mao gyud na akong kuwan niya, that's precisely the reason," he said.

Labella also said aligning with PDP-Laban is an opportunity for the city to receive aid from the national government for the implementation of projects as the city was neglected by the previous administration.

"We consider this also an opportunity for us to receive projects from the national government, aid from them because let us remember in the previous administration Cebu City was practically left behind. Zero. There is nothing given to us even at the time we had emergency, the Yolanda, we did not receive anything," Labella added.

Like Rama, Labella also said that even though they did not take their oath under UNA they still asked permission from Binay.

At least 72 officials under Team Rama are expected to be sworn in.

Team Rama city councilors joining PDP-Laban are James Anthony Cuenco, Joey Daluz III, Raymond Garcia, Jocelyn Pesquera, Eduardo Rama, Joel Garganera, and Nendell Hanz Abella.

It was earlier reported that House Speaker Alvarez will administer the oath taking together with other local officials of the province at the Sacred Heart Center.

Luigi to PDP

Mandaue City Mayor Gabriel Luigi Quisumbing has left the Liberal Party and will also be switching to PDP-Laban.

Quisumbing, who won in the elections last May 9 under LP, will lead the entire City Council in taking oath before Alvarez at the Sacred Heart Center.

Quisumbing said that he already informed LP about joining PDP-Laban. He added that he already resigned from LP a few weeks ago.

"Myself together with Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna and all 10 of the city councilors of the City of Mandaue will be joining the PDP-Laban. This was initially explored since after the elections through several former colleagues in congress as well as through the assistance of Presidential Assistant Mike Dino," Quisumbing said in a press conference yesterday afternoon.

Quisumbing explained that his joining to PDP-Laban would benefit the city in general as it would mean more projects for the city. He also expressed satisfaction in the way Duterte's administration is handling the campaign against drugs.

The mayor added that they should not be called "balimbing."

"Some people will say that (balimbing) but ultimately man gud my mindset has always been once the election is over, politics is over. Now is the time for us to focus on performance and now is the time for us in finding solutions together," Quisumbing said, adding that he should not close doors only because of political affiliations. (FREEMAN)