Cracks show in alliance: Tom lambasts Mike's policies

CEBU, Philippines – Rep. Tomas Osmeña of the South District of Cebu City is reminding his anointed successor, Mayor Michael Rama to toe the line or else…

Osmeña said that he is worried about some new policies being implemented by Rama at City Hall, which are contrary to what their party, Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), has started.

"I'm scared for the city now. It's beyond disappointment. I would like to remind him that he was elected because he was BOPK. I might be wrong but that's my impression," Osmeña said.

The neophyte legislator, but long-time mayor of the city, added that there is tension between some councilors and the mayor be cause of some issues that the local legislators do not approve of.

Osmeña's apprehension was fueled by the mass oath taking that the city organized for newly elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials where the city councilors, not even the two city Representatives Osmeña and Rachelle "Cutie" del Mar, were not invited.

The oath taking was scheduled last Thursday and yesterday, when the councilors are in Camarines Sur for an educational tour.

"Councilors were not even invited and not consulted about this. There's a shift in direction. There's going to be a lot of changes that will not be in the best interest of Cebu City, I tell you. For one, peace and order is going to be at risk," Osmeña said.

His sources informed him that the Rama has a plan to relieve Cebu City Police Office Deputy Chief for Operations Paul Labra II and Chief of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB) George Ylanan.

"Paul Labra and George Ylanan are being relieved because Mike thinks that they are engaged in drug activities. They (Labra and Ylanan) keep saying wala but I know," Osmeña said.

"I hope his reason is not political. They're being phased out. Police are undergoing demoralization. Ang incentives, stopped tanan. The rewards for police or tanods who shoot a robber, stopped," he said.

In a phone interview, Rama denied that he wants Labra and Ylanan out of the city police force.

"That is not true. It's run by the city police director and not me," the mayor said.

Labra and Ylanan told The FREEMAN that they are unaware of such transfer.

Even Sr. Supt Melvin Ramon Buenafe, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) is not also aware about such plan.

"We will wait for any official communication from the higher headquarters before we lift any finger," Buenafe said.

Other Issues

Osmeña is also alarmed by the alleged phase out of the Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN).

During his administration, Osmeña assigned the BIN to guard the premises of the City Hall and tapped the group for the anti-crime effort in their barangays.

But with Rama at the helm of City Hall, he hired security guards instead.

The mayor clarified that he hired security guards at the City Hall because he wants somebody to be accountable in case of losses or any untoward incident that may happen under the guards' watch.

"Unsa man ang problema ana kung blue guards ang magbantay sa City Hall? Wala man siguro problema niana. I'm not dismantling the BIN and I have no intention in dismantling it," Rama said.

The mayor added that he did not stop giving rewards to police officers and tanods, who would do something good.

He, however, said that there is an appropriate time as to when incentives shall be given.

"I am worried about the thing we have done, the things we have made up. If you want to be different, form another group but don't call yourself BOPK," Osmeña told Rama.

But the latter denied that he is trying to "erase" what his predecessor has started.

"Pataka lang," Rama said, adding that somebody is feeding wrong information to Osmeña as these people would want him and his predecessor to be quarrelling.

Osmeña also expressed concern over reports that Rama is no longer consulting the councilors about his new policies unlike what he used to do before.

When Osmeña was mayor, he gave executive powers to councilors to decide what will be good for the city but Rama has reportedly hasn't done this.

Rama was again quick to deny that there are rift between the executive and legislative branches of the city government.

"I don't know. As far as I am concerned, I'm just doing my job as a city mayor," Rama said.

Osmeña also criticized the renovation of the ground floor of the city hall where Rama's office is being constructed.

"What's wrong with my office at the eight floor? And he chose to spend P15 million for the renovation. He has an edifice complex. Imagine, he is allocating P80 million for the Plaza Independencia? If you will look at the budget it is just a small amount, but the other amount are actually hidden in other items," Osmeña said.

"He's banking on the big funds of the city, which was not collected during his first 100 days. These billions have been there even before he took over last July," he said.

Osmeña first became mayor in 1988 and had Alvin Garcia as his vice mayor. He was reelected along with Garcia in 1992 and then anointed Garcia as his successor in 1995. 

Garcia was reelected in 1998 and it was during his second term that his alliance with Osmeña also started to crack.

Osmeña ran against Garcia in 2001and won what was probably the closest mayoralty election in the city in recent history. They again met in 2004 with Osmeña getting re-elected.

Rama served as Osmeña's vice mayor from 2001 until the first half of this year when their terms ended. - With Niña G. Sumacot/NLQ (FREEMAN)