Team Rama allies want Labella

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella claimed that majority of Barug Team Rama PDP Laban officials wants him to be the party’s standard bearer for Cebu City in the 2019 midterm elections.

“When I say consensus, it refers to incumbent councilors and many barangay election officials. They preferred me to run as mayor to be frank about it,” he said.

Aside from being the top elected official of Barug Team Rama PDP Laban, Labella is also the PDP Laban Cebu City Chapter president.

Labella presumed that former mayor Michael Rama, who had expressed his intention to run for mayor next year, is aware that majority of their allied officials are supporting him (Labella).

However, he clarified that the matter still needs to be discussed between him and Rama and the rest of the members of the party.

When asked on the possibility that Rama will insist on running, Labella said they will “cross the bridge when we get there.”

Labella also denied reports that they are planning to separate from Barug Team Rama because of an internal conflict considering that he and Rama showed interest to run for mayor.

“Wala man so far. There is an alliance between Barug Team Rama and PDP Laban. As I said, it is an aggrupation, so we belong to that aggrupation and also a member of a political party which is PDP Laban," Labella said.

Rama, through Facebook live, issued a statement that PDP Laban will be an ally if it will support Barug Team Rama but will become a political enemy if the party would go against him.

He also said that PDP Laban is the possible cause if Barug Team Rama will fall apart.

"Kung ang PDP Laban makig-uban, kauban. Kung ang PDP Laban mao'y mobungkag, kaatbang. Ako ng klarong statement karon," Rama said.

Labella reserved his comment on this saying he has not seen the Facebook live.

But he clarified that there is no internal conflict in the group and what they are resolving now is the finalization as to who will be their standard bearer in next year’s elections.

Labella is hopeful that this issue will be settled as soon as possible but he emphasized he is interested to run as mayor because he wants to serve the public.

He stressed he maintains a good relationship with Rama despite the controversies.

In a separate interview, Rama insisted that he will run for mayor next year.

"I have already made a statement that I'm running for mayor and yet what is there to discuss? We hope that as I have said we will see matters clearer in days to come," Rama said.

Like Labella, Rama is hopeful that it would not come to point that the party will be divided.

"Dapat dili gyud mabungkag kay kung mabungkag united we stand, divided we fall. So ato ihangad nga tabangan ug lamdagan ang tanan," he said.

Barug Team Rama PDP Laban affiliated councilor Jose Daluz III also denied reports that they will leave Barug Team Rama.

"We are still Team Rama. This is an intramurals in our group that we are confident to resolve... Yes, definitely we will remain intact and ready to fight in 2019," Daluz said.