BOPK gets council majority

CEBU, Philippines - Councilor Jerry Guardo has left Team Rama, shifting the balance at the City Council in favor of the Bando Osmeña - Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), the group of Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Guardo said moving was a hard decision but he is “hurt and dismayed” after learning it was reportedly Sambag 1 Barangay Captain Lemar Alcover, a member of Team Rama, who allegedly worked on his suspension from service.

It was reportedly Alcover who filed the case against him before the Ombudsman for his failure to submit his yearend financial statement to the Commission on Audit (COA).

"Akong gi pananghid ni vice (Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella) nga nadismaya ko sa nahitabo. I was hurt. Wala ko maprotektahi. Wala ko matabangi. Dili na healthy for us that we still belong in one party nga naa nay grudges ug naa nay samad. I don't like nga mag plinastikay pa bitaw," Guardo said.

He said he received the suspension order last February and was reportedly told by Team Rama members that the order could not be implemented since he is no longer a barangay official.

"I thought all the while nga it won't affect my current position as councilor because the case was filed when I was a barangay chairman. So, karon, nasakitan lang gyod ko. I'm a neophyte councilor. I wanted to protect my name, my image in the City Council… namantsyahan akong pangalan and it's all because the person that caused my suspension is my partymate ra sad. Nasakitan kos panghitabo," he said.

Guardo’s suspension will end in June.

With Guardo’s transfer, BOPK now has nine members in the council, including Margarita Osmeña, Mary Ann de los Santos, Sisinio Andales, Joy Augustus Young, Alvin Arcilla, David Tumulak, Nendell Hanz Abella, and Eugenio Gabuya, Jr.

Meanwhile, Team Rama has eight: Jose Daluz III, Eduardo Rama, James Anthony Cuenco, Pastor Alcover, Jr., Joel Garganera, Raymond Alvin Garcia, Jocelyn Pesquera and Phillip Zafra.

Changes

Yesterday, Osmeña said the change in the council composition would make it easier for him to push for his agenda, including the revocation of the sale of 45.2 hectares of lots at the South Road Properties (SRP).

"I'm very pleased to announce that we have the new majority in the City Council. This will allow the administration to move ahead aggressively in pursuit to our agenda of meeting our commitments particularly our financial commitments to the senior citizens and to our students (city scholars)," Osmeña said.

"I will take care of the big potential that we are pursuing like BRT, SRP. Dili ko makahatag sa dako kaayo nga oras sa housekeeping.

Laing priority nga dysfunctional aspect sa syudad like traffic, garbage and drugs. Ang akong focus ang dako nga problema," he said.

Councilor Margot, for her part, said changes in the committee chairmanships and memberships in the council will be inevitable.

Margot admitted talking to Guardo once about the possibility of moving to BOPK.

Reactions

Labella said he respects Guardo's decision.

"We will just do our job in accordance with the mandate given by the people of the City of Cebu. I wish him luck," Labella said.

Garcia, for his part, said it is unfair to accuse the party for betraying Guardo, considering that "Lemar Alcover was with BOPK when he filed the case against Guardo. Guardo was with Team Rama. It was in the 2013 elections that Alcover transferred to Team Rama."

Garcia said Team Rama will continue to do its job and has, so far, proven that it does not obstruct Osmeña’s programs that it believes can help social services.

He said that while Team Rama was still the majority, it did not slash the annual budget this year and approved the land swap deal between the city and the province to resolve the 93-1 issue.

Daluz echoed Garcia’s sentiments.

"As for our group, life goes on. We will continue to be the voice of hope to those who are opposed to the administration to give balance to power," he said.

Garganera said he felt "broken" as Guardo reportedly never consulted Team Rama about his decision.

Former mayor Michael Rama will speak on the matter in a press conference today. —/JMO (FREEMAN)