Dino: Concert wasn’t a scam

CEBU, Philippines — Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino has denied allegations that the concert at the IEC Pavilion on May 1 was a scam.

“It’s free. Nangilad? Scam? Giunsa pagpangilad? Ngano ni-stay four hours if nanga-ilad? Within 10 minutes, nilakaw na unta. Si (Mayor) Tomas (Osmeña) ra nangilad (It was free. How was anyone scammed? Why did the people stay for four hours if they were duped? They would have left after 10 minutes. Only Tomas (Osmeña) tried to fool everyone),” Dino said.

Dino’s statement came after Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña posted on Facebook comments from netizens who took to social media their disappointment over what they described as a campaign rally masked as a concert.

“Youth were tricked tonight into going to a free concert only to find out it was Dino and Liebella’s (referring to Labella) free concert. I guess I should be grateful that even though wala ko nag-sponsor, ako gihapon ang pinakasikat didto,” Osmeña’s post reads.

Osmeña also wrote: “If the candidates need to lie to you to get you to go to their event, imagine how honest they’ll be after election.”

But Dino said no one was scammed because the concert was free and the audience even stayed for hours.

The concert was dubbed “Pulihi na, Cebu.” At the venue, tarpaulins with the “O” logo of Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan marked with a red “X” were put up.

Dino was also seen wearing a t-shirt with text to oust Osmeña.

Dino said Osmeña may just have reacted the way he did because he is threatened by negative feedback in the ongoing campaign.

“Irrelevant na man gud si Tomas. Basta iya masulti pangilad or scam, unsa scam ana? Na-threaten na siya maayo (Tomas is getting irrelevant. If he said it was a scam, what was the scam there? He’s very threatened),” Dino said.

In a message to The FREEMAN last night, Osmeña said it is Labella who is insecure and that it was not him who called the event a scam but the people themselves.

“It's the people who were there that called it a scam, not me. I think that it's just a tasteless, clumsy, deceitful, misdirection by an insecure Labella,” the mayor said.

Police

Meanwhile, Dino also said Osmeña’s criticism and accusation of the police force is a diversion from issues in the city that Osmeña allegedly failed to address.

Tomas has accused the police of allegedly harassing him and the members of his group, Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, through checkpoints.

“Tomas (is) using police to divert pressing issues. Daghan kaayo issue ang Cebu – baha,  basura, traffic, tubig… daghan kaayo problema… more than 30 years na siya diha, wala siya’y ikatubag mao mauton niya ang pulis (Tomas is using the police to divert pressing issues. There are many issues – flooding, garbage, water… He has been in power for more than 30 years but he has no answer to these problems so he’s the police look bad),” Dino said.

Dino also belied Osmeña’s accusations that he is backing the police.

“Giunsa nako paggamit ang pulis? Wala ko naggamit, everything, tanan nahitabo niya tungod ra sad na niya, he himself should be blamed. Ang iya pasanginlan, iya kaugalingon kay he is supporting all illegal activities… a lot of illegal activities. Sala diay na nako nag-support siya illegal activities? Lisod kaayo ako na sad… tanan man issue ako iya pasanginlan,” Dino said.

Dino said checkpoints should not be feared and should be followed since the police are only following Commission on Elections rules in conducting it. —  JMO (FREEMAN)