After Tumulak, who’s next?

AFTER number one South District Councilor Dave Tumulak bolted Team Rama and declared “independence,” who’s next? Well, as I predicted a long time ago, there are four Team Rama members who can easily be recruited by the opposition Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK). They are James Cuenco, Hanz Abella, Gerry Guardo and Dave Tumulak, who was the first to go. Dave declared he’s an independent but I am quite sure he will later join BOPK. Dave’s line of reasoning is the same as Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos when she left Team Rama and declared herself to be independent. She later joined BOPK.

I my last Saturday’s column, I laid my argument why Cuenco, Abella, Guardo and Tumulak could be easily recruited to BOPK. This “former political has been,” who is the BOPK titular head might approach former south district representative Antonio Cuenco, James’s father, to ask his son to join his party. He might also use the same strategy with Abella by approaching businessman Atty. Gus Go, who is Abella’s boss at the University of Cebu. While Guardo, younger brother of businessman Jonathan “Atan” Guardo, who is now a friend of this “former political has been,” might be ask by Atan to join BOPK.

I suspect that Dave was convinced to join BOPK in exchange for his siblings’ employment at City Hall. Dave’s two brothers and a sister were employed at City Hall during former mayor Mike Rama’s time but resigned when the new administration took over. So we will not be surprised if Dave’s siblings return to Cebu City. There were also reports that Dave was pressured to join BOPK because the present administration has started to look into his transactions like buying equipment for emergency preparedness, which, according to my source, he cannot justify. Is this the same situation with delos Santos on the missing scrap iron of the demolished Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) building? It was a BOPK councilor who wanted it investigated. But he later became silent when delos Santos joined BOPK.

My fearless forecast is that sooner or later Abella will also declare “independence” and join BOPK. A very reliable source told me that she saw this “former political has been,” Tumulak, Abella and an unidentified person in an upscale restaurant in Mandaue City last Saturday night. She saw the four leaving the function room of the restaurant where she dined together with a friend. I asked her if she was sure it was Tumulak and Abella she saw? She said she was sure because she frequently sees them on television news and the newspaper. She failed to recognize the fourth person.

So what was Abella doing with the group? Well, we can only speculate. But in view of this latest development, we can’t blame the public if it suspects that something is “boiling” that will lead to a possible realignment in the City Council. Well, this is politics. While writing this column, I texted Abella to get his side but he did not answer. During the time of Rama, he was able to recruit three BOPK members to his fold: Gerry Carillo, Richie Osmeña and Noel Wenceslao. Numbers are very important in the legislative body to support the political agenda of the administration. “Weder-weder politics,” as they say.

*** It’s good that former Mayor Mike Rama did not take his oath as member of the administration’s party, the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

Because if he did that, he would have become a laughing stock. Mike might have placed himself in an awkward situation if he affiliated himself with the administration’s party where the titular head is the man responsible for his current agony and misery. President Rodrigo Duterte named Mike a “drug protector,” an allegation that “dehumanized” Mike and practically damaged his name, dignity and reputation and might affect his political career.

Even if we open Mike’s heart now, we can hear it “shouting” bitterness and anger against Duterte. Now, can he afford to affiliate himself with the political party headed by the person responsible for his woes? Mike said, “I am alive but dead. I need to live again. I will clear my name.” Who made him dead? It was Duterte by naming him as a “drug protector.” “Buhi apan patay” si Mike. Dili na sakit kaayo huna-hunaon? He said he has to clear his name first before joining the administration’s party. But how can he clear his name? I said this before and I will say it again, it’s only the President who can clear his name by acknowledging that he (President) was wrong. But do you think the chief executive will do that? No way. Pas-anon gyud na ni Mike hangtod sa hangtod. Kanunay mohamok niya kanang maong akusasyon. Inig abot sa eleksiyon kanunay buhion sa iyang kontra kanang maong akusasyon. Unya unsaon man na niya sa pagbawi nga ang Presidente may mihingalan kaniya? Iya lagi nang dad-on hangtod sa lubnganan.