Another councilor bolting team Rama?

Abella named deputy mayor 

CEBU, Philippines - Another Cebu City councilor who is affiliated with Team Rama has received an appointment from Mayor Tomas Osmeña, the head of the Team Rama's rival party the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan.

After  Councilor David Tumulak was recently appointed as deputy mayor over police matters, Councilor Nendell Hanz Abella has been designated as deputy mayor for education.

This development sparked rumors Abella was leaving Team Rama to join BOPK. However, this report remain unverified as of yesterday as the city councilor was unavailable for interview as of press time.

The BOPK leader said he was also unaware if Abella intends to join his party when interviewed yesterday.

"I don't know (but) it's up to him. We are giving him something pro-active," said Osmeña.

The idea of his appointment to the position was hatched after the two had a dialogue; Abella reportedly said he wanted "to do something."

"This is the process of storya-storya. Wala man ko'y problema niana," said Osmeña.

Osmeña then gave the go signal to transfer the position from Councilor Joy Augustus Young to Abella.

He explained that Abella will be the deputy mayor for education but his duties will exclude handling scholarship matters since the latter is currently the vice president for the University of Cebu, and this may give rise to possible conflicts of interest.

He said educational scholarships will be handled solely by Young.

Osmeña said his party is not actively seeking other elective officials to be their allies since the next local election is still far.

Tumulak was with Team Rama for over three years but he declared he recently became independent to avoid the political clashes between the two prominent parties.

A day after his announcement he was appointment by Osmeña as deputy mayor over police matters.

Doubts also surfaced that Abella will reportedly bolt Team Rama after he declined to join the oath taking of other Team Rama allies with the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, and councilors Jocelyn Pesquera, James Anthony Cuenco, Jerry Guardo, and Jose Daluz III formally joined PDP-Laban on August 27 by taking oath as new members of the ruling party.

Former Cebu City ma-yor Michael Rama earlier expressed his support for his stalwarts to join PDP-Laban, saying that it was their settled plan after the May 9 elections to allow them to align their efforts with the president's programs. (FREEMAN)