Tomas says he’s open to tie up with Sara Duterte in election
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is open to working together with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s new regional political party, the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP).
But the mayor, though, clari- fied that Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) will not take oath before HNP since their group will not pledge allegiance to any political group.
“If you see the basic principle of BOPK, the bottom line is we don’t pledge allegiance to any national party because our loyalty is only to the people of Cebu City. Working with other people does not mean I have to swear allegiance to them,” Osmeña told reporters.
HNP is a regional political party formed by Mayor Duterte-Carpio together with four governors of Davao region.
These Governors include Claude Bautista of Davao Occidental; Antonio del Rosario of Davao del Norte; Jayvee Tyron Uy of Compostela Valley; and Nelson Dayanghirang of Davao Oriental.
Although the party is based in Davao region, Osmeña said he has no qualms with working together with officials of HNP.
“I don’t mind. There are good people in the (President Rodrigo) Duterte administration. As a matter of fact, I like the president himself and I keep saying that if it were not for the president, we will be in very deep trouble today.”
“Why not? She (Duterte-Carpio) doesn’t like (House Speaker Pantaleon) Alvarez, I don’t like Alvarez,” he said.
The Davao City mayor made headlines earlier after responding to Alvarez allegedly saying that HNP was not approved by her father, President Duterte.
The house speaker reportedly said that HNP is a product of political dynasty and called Duterte-Carpio a member of the opposition, which did not sit well with the latter.
There are good people in the (President Rodrigo) Duterte administration. As a matter of fact, I like the president himself and I keep saying that if it were not for the president, we will be in very deep trouble today.
CEBU CITY MAYOR TOMAS OSMEÑA