Another brgy moves to BOPK
Another Cebu City barangay allied previously with Barug Team Rama PDPLaban has moved to Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan.
Yesterday, Day-as Barangay Captain Freddie Esmas and members of the barangay's council took their oath before Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
The council members include Maria Lota Conejos, Marlene Bernal, Carlos Ferolin, Nickelito Dingal, Benigno Caniga Jr., Carmen Entoma, and Regalado Hisoler Jr. who are elected barangay councilors.
Esmas said they decided to move to BOPK for the "best interest" of the barangay.
He said he asked permission from Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella before making the move. Labella is the highest elected official of Barug Team Rama PDP-Laban.
"Of course, nisulti ta kay bati man og dili. Klaro lang, ana ko I have to make a hard decision and the bottom line is for the best interest of the barangay," Esmas told reporters.
He added: "We know that mayor Tom is the mayor so whether we like it or not, he is the mayor. So kung dili ta mosuporta sa mayor, kutob ra ta sa Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA)."
The first barangay to bolt out of Barug Team Rama PDP-Laban is Guba headed by its captain, Orlan Herrera.
Following the recent barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, BOPK now has 50 allied barangays. Meanwhile, Barug Team Rama PDP-Laban has 30.
The BOPK allied barangays are Bonbon, Babag, Buot, Basak Pardo, Buhisan, Calamba, Guba, Guadalupe, Inayawan, Kinasang-an Pardo, Pob. Pardo, Punta Princesa, San Nicolas Proper, Sawang Calero, Sinsin, Sudlon II, Tabunan, Sapandaku, Labangon, Agsungot, Apas, Banilad, Binaliw, Busay, Capitol Site, Carreta, Cogon Ramos, Kamputhaw, Kasambagan, Lahug, Lusaran, Mabini, Mabolo, Malubog, Pahina Central, Paril, Pit-os, Pulangbato, Sambag I, San Antonio, San Roque, Sirao, T. Padilla, and Talamban.
Before the barangay and SK elections, only 15 barangays allied themselves with BOPK.
Osmeña has been very vocal about changing the political landscape in the barangay level. Prior to the elections, he filed cases against opposition barangay captains who allegedly failed to liquidate financial assistance from the city government.
Whether or not more barangays are heading BOPK's way is something Osmeña refused to divulge, at least as of yesterday.
Speaking with The FREEMAN, Labella confirmed that Esmas spoke with him prior to moving to BOPK.
"Well, of course, this is a free country. This is a democracy but he talked to us yesterday and said he will just take his oath before the mayor and under the Local Government Code, under the DILG Circular as new elected barangay official," Labella said.
Labella said Esmas did not mention or gave hints he would transfer alliances.
"He did not. He just said that he is going to take his oath before the mayor. Whether he told us the truth or not, that's for him. But what he told me yesterday, that he will just take his oath," Labella said.