EDITORIAL - Depleting clout?

The next election is still 19 months away but former Cebu City congressman Tomas Osmeña is already admitting that the shift in allegiance by some barangay officials from his party, the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, to Team Rama would affect their political campaign in 2016.

Earlier, seven barangay captains from the city's mountain barangays joined other Team Rama barangay leaders in signifying support for Mayor Michael Rama in his move to dispose of lots at the South Road Properties.

The move came after at least four BOPK city councilors left the party to form an independent bloc at the council. They also promised to support Rama's programs for the benefit of the city, especially the effort to draw more SRP investors.

We still do not know whether Osmeña would take another shot at the mayoralty post in the next election. But because he's back in his almost daily criticism of Rama, we can only guess that he is bent on staging another political comeback.  

Aside from still having the majority among the city councilors, the BOPK still has several barangays it considers as bailiwicks. Of course, it still has all the resources to wage a winnable political campaign.

However, the fact that it is beginning to lose key allies in the council and the barangays as it prepares for the next election can only mean all is not well inside the BOPK. This development would certainly trigger some questions as to what went wrong with the once dominant party in the city.

While Osmeña, the former mayor, remains Rama's most formidable opponent in 2016, it seemed his clout over his political allies is starting to deplete. He may still have the majority among the councilors. But they can no longer have the power to protect the interests of the BOPK in the council.

Of course, as we have said, the next electoral exercise is still 19 months away. There's still enough time for Osmeña and his allies to regroup if they want to give Team Rama a run for its money.

But, in the meantime, the BOPK needs to pull the plug on the exodus.