Tomas: It is no big deal

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s leaving the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) is no big deal to the party’s leader.

Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas Osmeña said, “Who cares? He is not important to us.”

Osmeña also said that their differences are already irreconcilable and branded Rama as a “traitor.”

Rama announced the other day that he was leaving the BOPK because he can no longer take what his supposed political allies are doing to him.

The mayor has been a part of the party since he first ran for public office in 1992 as councilor in the South District.

Rama said that the final straw was when the Mahiga creek settlers supported by the Pagtambayayong Foundation Inc. and some BOPK allies filed charges against him over the alleged indiscriminate demolition of houses in the danger area.

Osmeña said that it was Rama, who asked for the treatment that was given to him.

The rift between Osmeña and Rama started when BOPK members were not invited to the mass oath-taking ceremony of barangay officials, including opposition allies, at City Hall last year.

Osmeña also pointed out that it was Rama, who caused the failure of the proposed land swap deal with Capitol that could have solved the problem affecting about 5,000 families occupying lots owned by Cebu Province who are beneficiaries of Ordinance 93-1.

Rama’s privilege speech before the city council strained the relationship between Osmeña and Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Osmeña said that he regrets havinbg endorsed Rama to run for mayor in the May 2010 elections despite the clamor of many people for him not to do so.

He said that he wanted to give Rama a chance to prove himself as mayor as he served as Osmeña’s vice mayor for nine years.

Osmeña first came into the Cebu City political scene in 1988 when he ran and won the mayoralty race under the banner of the BOPK. He served as mayor until 1995 and endorsed his vice mayor Alvin Garcia for the post.

Garcia handily won in 1995 and got re-elected in 1998 then later had a falling off with Osmeña.

In 2001, Osmeña ran against Garcia and became mayor with Rama as his vice for nine straight years until the term limits set by law prohibited him from running for the same position last year.

Osmeña said he doesn’t want to compare Rama with Garcia.

At the height of the controversy, Rama conducted a loyalty check with the 22 city hall department heads, city hall consultants and the 5,000 employees as he wants to be assure that he has the trust and confidence of the people that he is working with.

But Osmeña said respect should not be demanded from the mayor’s subordinates and the act of conducting a loyalty check was a clear sign of insecurity.

“I don’t do loyalty check because it’s non-productive, ego-tripping and a stressful situation. Mike Rama is insecure and his ego is so big that needs to be filled up,” Osmeña said.

Not my business, But…

Governor Garcia said that she would not want to comment on the politics in Cebu City, but expressed surprise at Rama’s bolting the BOPK.

“For me to comment on that decision, I believe would be out of hand because it is really none of my business,” Garcia told reporters yesterday.

Garcia instead assured the relationship of the City and the Province of Cebu will continue towards a positive direction.

Rama was reportedly requesting the province if it could donate a property as relocation site for Mahiga creek settlers, whose houses were demolished.

Garcia said Rama’s request is now being studied by the Capitol real estate section as the province has a lot of possible properties.

The concept of a possible tie up between the province and the city in the resettlement of informal settlers in the property owned by the province has been discussed in a meeting of Garcia and Rama with Vice President Jejomar Binay last Wednesday.

“We will continue work with the city and we will study that also. I will also make the decision taking the interest of the Province of Cebu,” Garcia said. — with Gregg M. Rubio/NLQ (FREEMAN)