Annabelle: I was betrayed

CEBU, Philippines - If there’s something that defeated congressional candidate Annabelle Rama learned from her first political experience, it’s never to trust partymates and the people outside your immediate family.

“Ang akong number one nga nakat-onan sa akong paglansar kay don’t trust anyone except your immediate family, sila lang ang makahibalo unsay mga plano para maging successful ang paglansar,” Rama said.

The Manila-based talent manager, in a letter, revealed that two people from their camp betrayed her.

But she refused to name those she called “traitors.”

In her letter, she said these people are (1) “my trusted very close cousin who happens to be a relative of my opponent. Fifteen days before election naglulinghayaw na, 10 days sa Hong Kong” and the (2) “head of the (Team Rama) legal team who is in charge of advance counting and providing lawyers, watchers and canvassers.”

Rama said the second person dropped her from the priority list during the elections and that this person was jealous with singer Pops Fernandez who did a duet with Mayor Michael Rama in one of their campaign sorties.

She said that she realized that the elections had proven who her true friends are.

While she has no plans of filing an electoral protest, Rama expressed disbelief over the huge disparity between her total votes and those that congressman elect Raul del Mar got.

“Nganong 35,000 lang ang nakuha ko against my opponent which is 120,000. I cannot believe the result,” she said.

Rama explained that she poured money into the party since, as a political neophyte, she would rather have the party take care of her campaign. But she was surprised by the outcome, she said.

“I’m just new in this business. I don’t know about anything what’s going on. I was just surprised ngano walay nag-count sa Team Rama sa akong votes ug wala akong watchers; walay lawyer-in-charge sa election day,” Rama said.

A text message she said she had received two hours after the voting even made her think that there was really a manipulation.

“I received a text message informing me about the result, daug na kuno ang akong kaatbang, unsa man na gi magic? Kang Mayor Mike and Labella two days nag-counting, ang ako two hours lang?” she said.

Team Rama chairman and re-elected Mayor Michael Rama refused to comment further on his cousin’s allegations.

“I’ll just pray that this matter be resolved among us, hence undeserving of comments,” the mayor told The FREEMAN.

He earlier said that shortly after the end of the canvassing, he sent Annabelle a text message saying he was sad and sorry about her defeat.

But he, at the same time, thanked her and the entire Gutierrez family for their huge contribution to the victory of Team Rama. /LPM (FREEMAN)