Team Rama still undecided on Jakosalem’s candidacy

CEBU, Philippines - Team Rama party has not decided on whether or not to permit a replacement for its candidate for councilor, Jack Jakosalem, who was hospitalized last year.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, chairman of the party, yesterday told

reporters they have not agreed to replace former councilor and former City

Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) chairman in his bid to return to the council.

“Until such time that we have decided, I do not want to be too profound on the matter,” Rama said.

The party’s legal team is tasked to study and weigh the options that Team Rama has, the mayor added.

He pointed to the case of unseated congresswoman Lucy Torres who ran as a replacement to husband actor Richard Gomez who was not allowed to run by

the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).

“You will never know what will happen,” said Rama.

The campaign manager of the party, Councilor Joey Daluz, told The Freeman the party has yet to sit down to discuss the matter.

“Honestly, we did not talk about it. We did not discuss the matter during our meetings,” Daluz explained, saying, “It is the call of the party’s top officials.”

However, Daluz noted that Jack’s wife, Sharon Jakosalem, is attending their activities.

“She (Sharon) attends our meetings, pulong-pulong, and even handshaking,” the campaign manager said.

But there has been no formal discussion if she will replace her husband Jack whom Daluz has not seen “since he (Jack) filed his COC (Certificate of Candidacy).”

Sharon has started going around the city starting this year, according to Daluz.  (FREEMAN)