Osmeña says Labella is ‘stronger’ opponent
If he would have his way, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña would rather have Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella as his opponent in the next year’s local elections, not former mayor Michael Rama.
The mayor believes that Labella is a “stronger” opponent compared to Rama.
Osmeña brought up the matter after reporters asked him on his comment that Rama announced to take the city leadership back in 2019 elections last Wednesday.
He said, for strange reason, Labella is a better opponent compared to his known political rival, saying Rama can make Labella win in his own bailiwick.
“The one who will be stronger candidate between the two is Labella. So, for a very strange reason because Labella cannot make Rama win in his own precinct and Rama can make Labella win in Basak San Nicolas,” he said.
Labella, for his part, said Osmeña is entitled to his own opinion.
"He is entitled to his own opinion, coming as it did from a veteran politician like him. I take it as a compliment. If you read his statement between the lines, so to speak," he said.
In a separate interview, Rama prefers not to give further comment on Osmeña’s statement, saying he doesn’t want to dwell too much on it.
“Nindot kaayo na iyahang style. Butangi lang og it was received by a sarcastic laughter of Rama. Mao bitaw, I don’t want to add more comment ana,” he told The FREEMAN.
Labella said there is nothing final yet for they have to discuss it within the members of the group.
“As I have said since I was appointed by the PDPLaban national leadership, I am open to run for mayorship in 2019. But that matter of who should run is still subject for consultation by the coalition,” he said.
Labella is the PDP-Laban Cebu City Chapter president after being appointed by the president.
Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, who is allied with both Labella and Rama, said Labella has also showed intention to run for mayor but the group has to listen the opinion of each member as to who will be their standard bearer in 2019 elections.
“Definitely, he has already been very open about it. In fact, open siya sa media that he is open for running as mayor in 2019. But we all agree lisod kaayo og duha atong kandidato so atong buhaton ana, we will have to come into an agreement og kinsa gyud ang standard bearer,” Garcia said.
He said their party, Barug Team Rama Partido ng Demokratikong PilipinoLaban, holds meeting every now and then to discuss their plans for the elections.
But Rama said the party is in the direction of allowing him run for the mayoral post.
In fact, he shared that he already informed President Rodrigo Duterte about it last March during his visit in Davao City.
“He (Duterte) did not say no, he did not say yes. But I have said to him that I am running for mayor in 2019 elections. I was just informing him actually,” he said.
When asked whether or not his decision is final, he just said, “That is already the direction. And that is a very clear direction and I wished that Edgar will be with me and we will be united.”
During the 2016 elections, Rama and Labella are in tandem. Rama run for mayor but was defeated by Osmeña, while Labella won the vice mayor seat over Joy Augustus Young.
Rama started his political career in 1992 when he served as city councilor until 2001. From 2001 to 2010, Rama served elected as vice mayor. In 2010 to 2013 he was proclaimed as city mayor.
In 2013 to 2016, he was re-elected as chief executive of the city. But in 2016 mayoral elections, Osmeña defeated him.
Despite his views, Osmeña welcomed the intention of Rama to run for the chief executive post in the upcoming 2019 elections saying the latter has the right to be back in the political arena.
“What am I supposed to do, stop him? Anyone can run… It’s good for democracy that there’s a choice. That’s the essence of democracy nga makapili gyud ang tawo. Dili ko gusto mosulod sa restaurant nga usa ra ang putahi, pagka boring wala’y thrilling,” he said.