Tomas to brgy execs: I love you so I am letting you go

CEBU, Philippines - To end the “suffering” of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan-affiliated barangay officials, former Cebu City congressman Tomas Osmeña yesterday said he is willing to break ties with them.

“It’s a matter of survival for the barangay officials and their constituents. They have suffered long enough being identified with BOPK. They have to sing the tune and I don’t blame them,” he said.

This, after seven of his allies in the barangays signed a manifesto supporting Mayor Michael Rama in negotiating the sale through public bidding of 45.2 hectares of South Road Properties.

Their move came on the heels of the decision of four city councilors to leave BOPK and form an “independent bloc” at the City Council.

Osmeña claimed that the present administration has not been giving fair treatment in terms of projects to the barangays identified as BOPK allies.

He said this is the reason why BOPK barangay captains are shifting support to Rama’s administration so they could secure funding from the city for their projects.

“To me it’s really a matter of survival for them since the mayor has been so harsh to them by not releasing anything to them. They have suffered so much because they are identified with BOPK. He is doing it to all of them, torturing and pressuring them,” Osmeña said.

“I understand and I still love them. I don’t want them to suffer anymore because of me. I could always take care of myself. They have to worry about their constituents. Whatever Rama has to sing they have to sing the same tune. Sige nalang, (That is okay,) I understand,” he added.

Osmeña likened the situation to the story in the Bible where a woman pleaded to King Solomon to take her baby instead of killing the latter.

“Now, I know how it feels,” Osmeña said.

“Do what you have to do for the benefit of the people because we are here to serve the people, not the other way around,” he added.

Rama, in a separate interview, simply ridiculed Osmeña’s pronouncements.

“What else is new? I’ve heard that before and there’s nothing to comment about,” he said.

On the other hand, City Councilors Alvin Dizon and Sisinio Andales, both BOPK members, said they respected the barangay captains’ decision.

“Ila nang (It is their) right to make a position. We respect them because we are in a democratic world. Apan ang pangutana:  Kini ini ilang (The question is that in their) position to sign the manifesto, gi-consult ba ang mga (did they consult their) constituents?” Dizon asked.

“We are still members of the same group, as a whole. We have no bad blood (against them),” Andales, on the other hand, said.— /RHM (FREEMAN)