4 BOPK dads bolting party

CEBU, Philippines - The four Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan councilors who voted to give Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama the authority to negotiate and sell lots at the South Road Properties are set on bolting the party to form an independent bloc in the City Council.

Councilor Gerardo Carillo yesterday said that he and councilors Roberto Cabarrubias, Ritchie Osmeña, and Noel Wenceslao have decided to be independent. He said the four of them will vote as one in crucial matters.

With the decision of the four to become independent, BOPK has lost control of the 17-member City Council. In the absence of the clear majority, the members of the independent bloc would now serve as the swing votes to resolve controversial issues.

The BOPK is now left with eight members in the City Council: Margarita Osmeña, Eugenio Gabuya, Alvin Dizon, Nida Cabrera, Lea Japson, Nestor Archival, Alvin Arcilla and Sisinio Andales.

Team Rama, on the other hand, has five allies in the City Council;  Hanz Abella, Dave Tumulak, James Cuenco, Mary Ann delos Santos and ex-officio member Philip Zafra of the Association of Barangay Councils.

Carillo said that the four of them decided to abandon BOPK and form an independent bloc because they could not “take it in their conscience” to obstruct what is good for the city. The councilors are in agreement that they will support all “good and beneficial” programs of Rama for the welfare of the general public and discard those they think that are not beneficial to the Cebuanos.

Carillo believes that allowing the mayor to sell the SRP lots to pay for its loan with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation is the most logical thing to do rather than securing another loan from the Philippine National Bank to pay for the JBIC debt.

He clarified that this was also the stand of BOPK councilors before they agreed to support the resolution giving Rama the authority to sell SRP lots. However, they allegedly differed in the mode of disposal because BOPK allies insist on the unsolicited proposal rather than a public bidding.

Carillo explained that under the Local Government Code, public auction is the only mode of disposal allowed for public property. He said allowing unsolicited proposal is disadvantageous to the city government and would only “corrupt” the members of the City Council because they would approve the proposal.

“Kun akoy interesado mopalit akong duolon ang mga konsehal aron subornohan,” Carillo explained.

Carillo said it is high time to set aside partisanship and stand for what is good for the city and its constituents.

“Kapoy na kaayo ang pamolitika. Now, we have to stand for good and serve our people and Cebu in general. We will think as one, vote as one and plan as one from now on. And that, we are happy on what we have decided,” he said. 

“Dili man sa ingon nga wala ta motan-aw og utang kabubot-on pero my loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to the people begins,” Carillo added.

Wenceslao said their decision is for the best.

“Kay wala nama’y pagsalig ang former mayor namo, we are doing this. At least there will be no more political pressure between both camps. More or less, this is good. We will do what is right for our constituents,” he said.

BOPK head and former mayor Tomas Osmeña belittled the decision of the four councilors as nothing, saying that is what they are supposed to be in the council.

“That is what they are supposed to be, independent,” Osmeña said over dyLA.

Osmeña, however, insisted that unsolicited proposal should be the best mode to dispose of the SRP lots to ensure that buyers will develop the property based on the conditions of the sale. According to him, the SM and Filinvest properties were all bought through unsolicited proposals.

Collateral damage

Meanwhile, Carillo admitted that the fallout between the four of them and Tomas started because of the administrative complaint filed by lawyer Reymelio Delute before the Office of the President against Rama and majority of the councilors over the P20,000 calamity assistance granted to City Hall officials and employees last December.

Carillo said they felt slighted when Osmeña told them during a meeting that they will be “collateral damage”.

“Nasakitan gyud mi kay ingon ra diay niana ang tan-aw sa lider ngari namo,” Carillo said.

Osmeña, however, denied calling them “collateral damage”.  He said he only asked the BOPK members included in the complaint to answer it, adding that it has never been his practice to intervene in cases involving allies.

Carillo hinted that other BOPK allies are interested in joining their bloc.

“Tomorrow is the start. Abangan lang ang susunod na kabanata,” he said. —(FREEMAN)