27 senior citizens claim deception by Team Rama

CEBU, Philippines - Four days after they were allegedly deceived to join the crowd that supported the filing of Team Rama’s certificates of candidacy last Friday, some senior citizens yesterday complained that they were forced to march with the Team Rama crowd.

At least 27 of senior citizens from Barangay Sawang Calero came to air their grievance over Cong. Tomas Osmeña’s program in dyLA yesterday morning.

The complainants said that last Friday they trooped to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral to attend a Holy Mass which they thought was part of the opening celebration of the Senior Citizens Month. But they claimed they were surprised when they were “forced” to wear yellow “Team Rama” T-shirts and were made to march to the office of the Commission on Elections-Cebu City instead of the Senior Citizens Park, the venue of their own event.

Several senior citizens were part of the large crowd that walked with the Team Rama candidates when they filed their COCs last Friday.

Mayor Michael Rama, in a press conference at his office yesterday, denied there was deception in the first place. He said it was the senior citizens’ federation that organized the event.

“Humana to uy. Nagprograma sad sila’g ilaha. Ang senior citizen federation nag-organize sa ilang event…I don’t want to spend time with that. For me, it’s irrelevant,” Rama said.

Meanwhile, Rama said his legal counsels were already preparing the formal complaint against Councilor Augustus Pe to be filed before the Comelec. Team Rama has only until today to lodge their complaint and Rama said his lawyers are on it. Rama’s party is seeking the disqualification of Pe and another candidate, who Rama refused to name.

Pe, who is serving his third term as south district councilor, filed his COC for councilor in the south district for the 2013 election under the opposing party, Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).

He said they will not only be questioning Pe’s candidacy as they also have other concerns which are already being handled by their lawyers.

Rama also denied that the Team Rama is only threatened by Pe, hence the eagerness to pursue the complaint.

“Wa nahadlok uy. When laws are not followed, morals are violated, good moral and right conduct are not abided by, we cannot allow that to become our children’s nightmare,” he said. He added that it is their responsibility and moral obligation to set things right. – (FREEMAN)