Tomas: I won even in Mike's precinct

CEBU, Philippines - Reacting to the Commission on Elections finding merit in political nemesis Michael Rama's election protest, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday said he won even in Rama's very own poll precinct and in that of the former mayor's allies.

Confident on this, he challenged Rama to include in his protest his polling precinct and that of Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella and former mayor Alvin Garcia.

"I challenge Mr. Rama: Include your precinct, why you lost. You lost almost two to one in your precinct. How could I cheat him in his own precinct? Am I that good?" Osmeña told reporters.

He made statement following the Comelec Second Division order finding Osmeña's defense to the protest Rama filed "defective in form and substance."

"They also include the precinct of Labella in Mabolo because Mike Rama lost in the precinct of Labella. Why don't they include that? Do I make sense? Ila man nang presinto. I must be that good in cheating, huh. Investigate your own precinct," Osmeña said.

"Anyway, that's (recount) normal. I don't mind if they count," he added.

Sought for comment, Rama said Osmeña should not tell him what to do about his election protest.

"He should not be dictating on my protest, on our protest. That is ours. We have not been dictating on them in their counter-protest," Rama said in a phone interview with The FREEMAN.

He said he has not received yet his copy of the Comelec ruling, but he considered it as an early Christmas gift.

He said his protest has been given due course and the poll body has found merits in his protest.

He said the recount is a chance to see the "true result of the elections" and that he was "hoping that truth will prevail."

Osmeña, for his part, said he will not agree that the recount would go in favor of Rama.

Rama got 233,186 votes while Osmeña got 267,222 votes in the elections last May for Cebu City mayor.

"I don't agree to that (recount would favor Rama). Because they checked a few precincts immediately after the elections, and Comelec did the spot check and there was no failure detected," Osmeña said.

"But, I'll make a bet. His precinct, he will still lose. In Labella's precinct he will still lose. I'll give him 5-1. My 5,000 will only win 1,000," the mayor said. (FREEMAN)