CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City South District Representative Tomas R. Osmeña assured the Commission on Elections that they will not deploy vehicles to fetch their supporters during their rally next week.
The Liberal Party-Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan (LP-BOPK) rally will be held at the provincial Capitol grounds on April 18.
Osmeña said they will not follow the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) and Team Rama, which provided transportation for their supporters during their rallies in Cebu.
The UNA and Team Rama held their rallies at the back of Fort San Pedro two months ago and at Plaza Independencia last Saturday.
Osmeña also said they will not encourage their supporters in remotes areas to attend the rally because no transportation is provided.
The LP-BOPK will also not give food to those who would attend the event to comply with the law.
Osmeña's rival, reelectionist Mayor Michael Rama, had challenged him to come up with a bigger crowd during the BOPK rally.
This after Osmeña said the police' estimate of 25,000 people who attended the Team Rama rally over the weekend was bloated.
The former mayor said reports he received was that only about 3,000 people attended the event.
The lawmaker said President Benigno Simeon Aquino III already confirmed his presence during the LP-BOPK event.
A dinner of LP senatorial candidates and the party's national and local officials will be held at the Capitol Social Hall.
Osmeña said BOPK supporters are not compelled to be present at the event.
According to Osmeña, only the BOPK and LP leaders were asked to be present to listen to the speeches so they could also relay them to their members.
But those living in barangays near the Capitol can come to the event.
During the rally, Osmeña and the rest of the BOPK candidates in the city will be formally proclaimed by Aquino.
He said the president is expected to ask the Cebuano voters to support his candidates in Cebu, including acting governor Agnes Magpale, who is running as vice governor, and LP gubernatorial candidate Hilario Davide II.
Magpala and Davide are expected to be present during the rally.
Meanwhile, Osmeña said one of the reasons why he is leading against Rama in the survey in Barangay Tinago is the Oriental Port and Allied Services Corporation (OPASCOR), whose workers are supporting his candidacy.
The over 1,000 Opascor workers from Barangays Tinago, San Roque, and Tejero attended a rally at Tejero Sports Complex yesterday to assure Osmeña and other BOPK candidates of their support.
Tejero Barangay Captain Jessielou Cadungog is one of the leaders of Opascor. — /LPM (FREEMAN)