CEBU, Philippines — Mabolo, Cebu City Barangay Captain Prisca Niña Mabatid has asked the help of the Office of the President in filing a complaint against Mayor Tomas Osmeña and newly elected Association of Barangay Councils president Franklyn Ong over what her camp describes as a “farce” ABC election in Cebu City last Monday.
Mabatid’s camp contended that Osmeña and Ong committed violations when the mayor stayed at the venue of the ABC elections, which they believe influenced the outcome of the polls, and when Ong allegedly bribed barangay captains with laptops and money.
“Didto gyud siya (Osmeña) sa pultahan gyud, inside the voting place sa ABC election. Naa man na sa Liga institution and by laws – no other person can get inside,” said Mabatid’s running mate, Mambaling captain Gines Abellana.
He said of Ong: “Gidala niya ang mga botante sa Carmen… didto niya gi-house unya gipanagaan niya og wala ta kibaw pila ang kwarta. Basta tagsa ka laptop sa 50 ka BOPK captains,”
Abellana said their lawyers are now studying the possible charges they can file against Osmeña and Ong before the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Abellana said further that if DILG will rule in their favor, they will ask the National Executive Board of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas to hold another ABC election here.
Last Monday, though, the election supervisors composed of the Commission on Elections, DILG, and the Department of Education, among others, did not find any reason to stop the voting.
The mayor and the new ABC president are allies in the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan.
Ong got the 51 votes from BOPK-allied captains during the ABC elections while Mabatid got zero.
As Mabatid would argue, however, she did not lose, technically, because she and her supporters from the Barug Team Rama PDP Laban walked out of the election venue even before voting began.
“WE DID NOT LOSE. We were never part of the election and it was a BOPK election and not ABC so I should say it was an empty victory for the mayor and BOPK,” Mabatid said.
Sought for comment, Osmeña said he did not have any ulterior motive in going to the Bayfront Hotel, the venue of the elections.
“They’re poor losers, they are sore losers. I just looked inside. I stayed beside the door for no more than five minutes and because of that, they lost the election,” he said.
“Of course, they were cheated. That’s the standard Team Suyop alibi because according to the survey, I won. Hala. They are a poor loser and I’m not a sore winner,” he said.
Ong, for his part, said everyone should move on because elections are over.
“Humana ang ABC “Liga ng mga Barangays” election. The majority of Punong Barangays have made their choices. Let’s move on,” he said.
He said earlier that he and his fellow barangay captains went to Danao last Sunday for a team building. He also admitted giving them laptops, saying he considers them as family and that the laptops can help them in their work in the barangay.
Ong contended earlier that he had no reason to bribe or buy votes because he already has the numbers to win the elections.
The ABC presidency is crucial to BOPK because the president sits as ex-officio member of the City Council and having Ong there ensures a majority.
Kawit Island
Now, Osmeña wants to re-submit for council approval the proposed P18 billion development project at the Kawit Island at the South Road Properties.
The council junked the project earlier because its contract reportedly will be disadvantageous to the city.
“Well we are going to push for the immediate approval of the Kawit Island project and some other resolutions that have been blocked by the council. They’re willing to start right away. It will create immediate employment,” Osmeña said.
In a Facebook Live interview with The Freeman yesterday, Ong said he supports the project because of the jobs it can give Cebuanos.
“Nindot man gyud kaayo na. You know, at the end of the day, kana siya, dako kaayo na siyang income mahatag sa city ug job generation. Wala ko’y nakita nga problema anang dapita,” he said. (FREEMAN)