Allies to help clear Mike

Allies of former mayor Michael Rama in the city council vowed to help him clear his name being one of the politicians named by President Rodrigo Duterte as drug protectors.

During the Kapihan with Team Rama councilors yesterday, Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia said there is an advantage now as members of Team Rama will be among those who will take oath as members of the president’s party, PDP-Laban, today.

“We support the president but it doesn’t mean that we believe his statement that Mike Rama is a drug lord protector. We don’t subscribe to that,” Garcia said.

“We will stand by him (Rama). We can definitely help him,” Garcia added.

Rama was not invited to join the mass oath-taking since Duterte publicly named him twice as a narcopolitician.

Rama said he is still pursuing his steps to have his name removed from the list of alleged drug lord protectors.

As of now, his papers asking Duterte to delist his name is with Bong Go, the president’s aide.

Garcia said the group is supporting President Duterte’s programs and plans for the country.

“We have to support a president that is Bisaya because this is our only opportunity. He knows the problems of the provinces. You will see there are several projects for the provinces,” he said.

Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera, for her part, said Duterte was not reportedly sure that Rama is involved in the drug links, saying the president personally knew Rama.

She said Barug Team Rama supports the move of the national government in giving those mentioned by Duterte as alleged drug protector a chance to clear their names.

“In fact, several months ago, the CIDG has conducted an investigation on some personalities mentioned by the president,” she said.

On the possibility that there are Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswaganallied officials who will take oath today, Pesquera said, “let’s cross the bridge when we get there.”

Garcia said all officials who wish to take oath under the party should have the requisites like the acceptability with existing members, attending basic seminars, among others.

He said he heard that Mayor Tomas Osmeña wanted to join to PDP-Laban.

“That’s confirmed but I don’t want to mention names,” Garcia said.

Sought for comment, Osmeña said he “never” asked to join PDP-Laban because the party is “playing” with Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Osmeña said he will never support Marcos who was reportedly eyed to run for president.

“In BOPK, our loyalty is to the people of Cebu,” the mayor said.