Osmeña dares Rama to place bet on claim

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has challenged former mayor Michael Rama to accept his bet to end the issue about his credentials.

"I am willing to bet 5-1 odds that I have a college degree. Their P10,000 for a chance to win P50,000. They can choose any amount they like. P50,000, P500,000, or P50M, I don't care. Because I know the truth, and I can prove it," he said.

The mayor came up with this betting game after Rama made a comment earlier questioning the former's educational background.

Osmeña said the allegation of Rama is just a way of covering up the reported "overpriced" procurement of clamps by the previous administration.

“Mr. Rama's only defense in the issue of the P45,000 overpriced clamps is alleging that I am not a college graduate," he said.

Recently, the mayor criticized the alleged overpriced procurement of the previous administration.

Rama has ordered 100 Denver Boots clamps (wheel tire clamp) which cost P44,950 per unit, or a total amount of P4,495,000.

But Osmeña considered it as an “overpriced” procurement because during his term, the city government only spent P845,700 for the wheel tire clamps with the same number of units.

Earlier this month, Osmeña had said he is an Agricultural Economics 1972 graduate at the Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, in Cagayan De Oro City.

“Make it worth my well, I'm not going to run around if I have something to prove. I have fight to one at least I collect something. Di ba? Dili ko uto-uto,” he said.

In a separate interview, Rama declined Osmeña's challenge to put up a bet, saying he is not a gambler.

He added the mayor has to answer it for it has been an issue since 1998.

“Dili ko mosugal kay dili man ko sugarol ang kana nga problema dugay naman na…aron masulbad na ipagawas na ang iyahang diploma. It's not me who is challenging him, it has been an issue. The people of Cebu has been asking that, kung mogawas na, wala'y problema,” Rama said.

This year, it is the second time that Barug Team Rama camp questioned the credentials of Osmeña.

Last February 1, Rama's ally, councilor Joel Garganera, posed the same question to the incumbent mayor to answer.

To recall, Barug Team Rama got the same number of affiliated councilors with BOPK after Renato was appointed by the president as city official in replacement of former councilor Nendell Hanz Abella, who resigned from post after being designated as commissioner in Seventh Division of National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC).

In a separate interview, Zafra said he receives "feelers" every now and then from the BOPK camp, which is trying to convince him to transfer party affiliation.

He declined to name the individuals who are approaching him every now and then.

However, Zafra politely turned down the offer saying there is no chance that he will be swayed to transfer, since his loyalty is still with Barug Team Rama.

"No, no, there's no chance nga mo-shift ta. But, we would like to assure the public that I am here for the good of the City of Cebu," Zafra said, via a phone interview.

He said different party colors should not be a hindrance in offering services to the constituents.

"Whatever party affiliations and whatever group I belong right now, my conscience is for the direction on what is good for the people of Cebu," Zafra said.

Former mayor Michael Rama, for his part, said no one from his party will transfer to BOPK.

"Sa akong pagtan-aw kung iyahay lang og barugay sa prinsipyo og patuo, wala gyud na. Dili na mahitabo," he said.