Team Rama plotting to oust Margot

CEBU, Philippines - Members of the Team Rama in the Cebu City Council are planning to strip Councilor Margarita “Margot’ Osmeña of her chairmanship of the powerful committee on budget and finance.

Mayor Michael Rama’s allies want to unseat Osmeña allegedly because of her being an “obstructionist” to the administration’s projects.

Former councilor Jose Daluz III, a trusted assistant of Rama, admitted their intention to seize Osmeña’s committee to ensure their projects get the support of the council.

“Dili nato matago nga naa ta’y katuyoan nga ilisdan si Margot. No personal reason behind it, but just because its politics that we need that the head of the committee on budget would be aligned sa atong partido sa pagtan-aw sa vision sa atong mayor ug dili kini mahimo nga babag sa iyang mga proyekto,” Daluz said.

“Mao g’yud tingali na ang politika. That is a logical consequence. The other camp being very astute in politics cannot feign ignorance. Numbers change and majority always rules,” Daluz added.

 It was not decided yet who among the Team Rama councilors will initiate the reorganization. The Team Rama also needs the support of the members of the new independent bloc to succeed because it lacks the numbers.

The Team Rama only has five members in the council - Nendell Hanz Abella, Mary Ann delos Santos, Dave Tumulak, James Cuenco, and Philipp Zafra.

BOPK still has the most number but is now short of the required majority after four of its members bolted to become independent. Councilors Richard “Ritchie” Osmeña, Gerardo Carillo, Noel Wenceslao, and Roberto Cabarrubias left BOPK to form an independent bloc.

Margot was not surprise to learn about the plan to unseat her of the committee chairmanship.

  “I will not cry if they decide to unseat me from the committee,” she said.

According to Daluz, Margot had been so meticulous in every project proposal from the executive department.

However, Margot said she was just doing what Daluz had taught her when she was still a neophyte legislator in 2010. Daluz previously chaired the committee on budget and finance.

 The committee is tasked to review all proposed resolutions that involve spending of public funds. Ritchie defended his aunt.

“Dili man g’yud maingon nga babagan sa committee kon ang proposed expenses sa executive department duna lay supporting documents sama sa certificate of availability of funds gikan sa city treasurer ug uban pa nga kinahangla’g dukomento,” Ritchie said.

Councilor Sisinio Andales, one of the BOPK allies, questioned the move to unseat Margot.

“Everybody is entitled sa iyang plano pero ang pangutana kon duna bay balido nga rason paghulip? Duna bay sayop ang pagdala sa maong komitiba? Ngano nga dili man nato huwaton sa Hulyo 2015. Let’s not rock the boat at this time,” Andales said.

The move is viewed as part of the preparation of the administration for the 2015 Annual Budget deliberation.

The executive department is required by law to submit the 2015 Annual Budget not later than September 16 for approval by the council.

The council, which used to be dominated by BOPK, slashed Rama’s budget proposal in the past.—/FPL (FREEMAN)