Osmeña goes to Senate for ‘secret missions’

CEBU, Philippines — To accomplish his “secret missions,” Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña admitted going to the Senate amid reports that he wanted an ally to replace the vacancy in the City Council.

The admission came after Councilor James Anthony Cuenco disclosed that Osmeña had asked Senator Nancy Binay to look for the senator’s father, United Nationalist Alliance Chairman Jejomar Binay.

Cuenco believed that Osmeña was doing “machinations” to get an endorsement for his ally to replace Councilor Nendell Hanz Abella, who resigned as councilor.

Pressed by reporters, Osmeña said he would not divulge his secret missions.

“I went to the Senate. I saw all of them. I didn’t go to her (Nancy Binay). I went to the Senate. The Senate acknowledged my presence so everybody went to me, practically all of them,” he told reporters.

As for the UNA’s endorsement of Renato “Junjun” Osmeña Jr., Mayor Osmeña said it was the doings of Presidential Assistant for Visayas Michael Dino.

The mayor said Dino is the brother-in-law of Junjun.

“It just strengthens my opinion that Mr. Dino is running for mayor because Junjun is his brother-in-law. They are making it appear nga Osmeña but he’s his brother in law,” he said.

Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, however, said Dino did not participate in the endorsement of Junjun.

Garcia said Junjun was chosen since he ranked ninth for councilor of Cebu City’s south district in the last May 2016 elections.

“If you tell me nga inig gawas sa appointment sa President ni Junjun, well, maka-ingon ko nga Dino has a hand,” Garcia said.

The Barug Team Rama already submitted Junjun’s certificate of nomination and acceptance, which was signed by Binay and Junjun, before the Office of the President yesterday.

Garcia said it would be “difficult” for Osmeña to block the appointment of Junjun considering that all nominations under Visayas will go through Dino.

“We hope that by…in the next two weeks, you will see a new majority,” Garcia said.

Both Barug Team Rama and Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan have eight members each in the council at present. Junjun’s entry would spell majority for the Team Rama bloc.

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, although affiliated with Team Rama, can only break tie but not participate in the voting as the presiding officer.

Last week, Abella resigned as a councilor after he took his oath of office as commissioner representing the workers' sector in the National Labor Relations Commission Seventh Division under Department of Labor and Employment. (FREEMAN)