Tom-Mike word war worsens

CEBU, Philippines - The quarrel between the two former friends and political ally – Cebu City Mayor Michael L. Rama and Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña – has apparently made a turn for the worse as Osmeña yesterday said Rama’s initials “MLR” means “more or less retarded.”

In a separate interview with reporters, Rama merely laughed and said the congressman was just “describing himself.” He advised his former political mentor to refrain from attacking him, saying “Ayaw lagi ko og unahi kay mosumbalik ra g’yud na nimo.”

Osmeña yesterday said the anti-graft investigators of the Ombudsman-Visayas should conduct investigation on his complaint against Rama about the use of envelopes with Rama’s pictures and names in giving cash benefits to senior citizens.

While Osmeña said he may not formalize his complaint by notarizing it before a lawyer or to submit other supporting documents, his political allies are silently working on looking for witnesses who could help them pin down the mayor in the case.

The anti-graft investigators earlier said the complaint filed by Osmeña before the Ombudsman last Wednesday was not notarized by a lawyer, but the congressman said Republic Act 6770 provides that the Ombudsman can investigate public officials even without a complaint.

Osmeña’s allies are now trying to look for witnesses who could testify before the anti-graft body on who ordered and prepared the envelopes with Rama’s picture and name which were used in the distribution of the cash assistance to the senior citizens.

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III had ordered that the names of politicians shall not be placed in projects such as government vehicles.

When the personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) distributed the P2,000-cash assistance to each of the senior citizens, they used envelopes with Rama’s picture and name.

Although Rama quickly ordered to stop the practice, Osmeña said Rama had already violated the DILG’s directive.

Rama instructed his personnel that instead of his picture and name, it should be the Cebu City’s official seal with the words Office of the Mayor and Cebu City Council.

But Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young, the presiding officer of the Cebu City Council, advised Rama not to put the word City Council in the envelope, saying “Ang maayo gani ana nga ihatag ra ang kwarta nga wala nay sobre kay ilabay ra man na sa mga senior citizens.”

Osmeña got mad because according to him, Rama is credit hungry. “The giving of cash assistance to senior citizens is not his project,” said Osmeña, who initiated the granting of cash benefits to the elderly in the city. (FREEMAN)