TOMMY SAYS: BOPK has long list of bets to tap for councilorial slate

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor On-Leave Tomas Osmeña does not see any problem filling up the slot vacated by Councilor Hilario Davide III in the line-up of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) for next year’s elections.

Davide, who resigned last Wednesday, would still have been eligible to seek one more term, but decided to leave his post to concentrate on his new role as provincial chairman of the Liberal Party.

Osmeña said that there is a long list of people that they can tap to run for the North District.

This as three other councilors are disqualified from seeking reelection this May as they are serving their third straight term. These are Sylvan ‘Jack’ Jakosalem, Nestor Archival and Christopher Alix.

“Dili gyud na problema sa among grupo kay taas ang pila unya gamay ra ang kuwang, taas gyud ang among lista,” Osmeña said.

He could not however say the same for the opposition Kugi Uswag Sugbo (Kusug).

“Ang pikas maoy nagproblema pagpuno sa ilang line-up kay maghuwat lang sila sa ma-reject sa BOPK,” Osmeña said.

Among those, whose names were floated as probable bets of BOPK for the North District are Luz barangay captain Nida Cabrera, Zapatera barangay captain Jose Marino Benedicto and NGO organizer Alvin Dizon.

Seen as probable replacements for outgoing South District councilors Gerry Carillo and Arsenio Pacaña are ABC president Eugenio Faelnar and Jaybee Binghay-Carillo, the councilor’s wife.

Osmeña said that they are considering these names, but added that they haven’t finalized their line-up yet.

The party is fielding the tandem of Vice Mayor Michael Rama for mayor and former councilor and now education consultant Joy Augustus Young for vice mayor next year. — Elly Bolonos/NLQ   (FREEMAN NEWS)