Team Rama officials meet Duterte

CEBU, Philippines — Members of the Barug Team Rama led by Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella were among those invited in a private meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte Monday evening at the Mactan Benito Ebuen Airbase.

The meeting was also attended by the president’s local supporters, friends, and businessmen.

Prior to the meeting, Duterte also met with the local chief executives from the Visayas and Mindanao at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City. Mayor Tomas Osmeña attended the meeting but did not have a chance to talk to the president.

Osmeña told The FREEMAN that he attended the meeting but was seated from afar.

Labella said that they were reminded by the president to stay away from corruption and illegal activities. Aside from Labella, the other Team Rama members present were Councilors Raymond Alvin Garcia, Joel Garganera, Jocelyn Pesquera, Jose Daluz III, Renato "Junjun" Osmeña, Association of Barangay Council president Phillip Zafra, and Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman.

"I think this will serve as a reminder, particularly to the bureaucrats in the city government of Cebu, that we have a president whose attitude towards graft and corruption is uncompromising, that he is ready to fire anybody even if they belong to his administration," Labella told reporters.

Labella said the city government should also observe the president’s policy by kicking out city hall employees involved in corruption.

"I think we should adapt here that there would be no comprise in graft and corruption in the city government,” he said.

The president also reiterated to his local partymates the importance of the campaign against illegal drugs. After the meeting, Barug Team Rama officials had a photo opportunity with the president. —/FPL (FREEMAN)