Tom to Mabatid: Produce ‘bribed’ barangay chiefs

After allegations of vote buying surfaced against both candidates expected to run for the Association of Barangay Councils presidency, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña challenged Mabolo Barangay Captain Prisca Niña Mabatid to prove her allegations some barangay captains were also bribed to vote Kasambagan Barangay Captain Franklyn Ong.

“She should produce the captains to speak out. She should not say that people are as evil as her as a justification for being a disgrace,” Osmeña said in a text message to The FREEMAN.

He said Mabatid is “contaminating the integrity” of the ABC after eight BOPK-allied barangay captains claimed they were offered cash in exchange for voting for Mabatid.

These barangay captains were Clifford Niñal of San Nicolas Proper, Juvito Ladraso of Sapangdaku, Sergio Ocaña of Sawang Calero, Victor Buendia of Labangon, Francisco Benedicto of Zapatera, Fredie Esmas of Dayas, Virgil Cabigon of Apas, and Domeng Lopez of Tinago.

The offers allegedly ranged from P300,000 to P1 million.

“I feel sorry for the good people of Mabolo. She is shaming all of them. To Niña, ‘alis dyan!’” Osmeña said in a text message.

Mabatid hit back at Osmeña, saying the mayor should stay from defending Ong.

“It is quite amusing bordering on being incredible for Mayor Tomas Osmeña to release to the public that some of his closest allies in the likes of Barangay Captains Buendia, Ocaña and others were offered huge sums of money ranging P300,000 to P1,000,000 just to entice them to vote for Mabolo Barangay Captain Niña Mabatid. It will not be surprising that he will announce later that his anointed candidate Franklyn Ong was approached and offered by his opponent,” Mabatid yesterday replied on her Facebook account.

“Ong already started enticing his followers to prepare their passports because they will be treated abroad once he wins in addition to the amounts he is giving every meeting he had with the barangay captain. It is easy for Ong to shell out huge amount for vote buying because he has already enjoyed the multi-million peso deal with City Hall in garbage collection.”

“Mayor Osmeña ought to stay away from defending his chosen and anointed candidate because it is the sacred freedom of the barangay captains to choose on their own. Dictating them whom to vote will only cheapen them of being peons and mere puppets to do the bidding of the puppeteer,” the statement concluded.

Last Thursday, already Mabatid denied allegations that she is offered money to barangay captains to support her bid for ABC president. As of yesterday, Mabatid has not even decided yet whether or not to run for ABC president.

Ong, who has said he plans to run as ABC president, denied the allegations of Mabatid.

Ong said majority of the barangay captains are allied with BOPK so he does not need to bribe them to vote for him.

Meanwhile, outgoing ABC President Phillip Zafra said the filing of candidacy for barangay captains who want to run for ABC president will start on July 24.

Zafra already announced he will not seek re-election saying that the opposition does not have enough numbers to win; he also said he will concentrate on Barangay Tisa after relinquishing his post.

The position of ABC president is crucial for the City Council as it determines the majority bloc in the legislative body.

The administration currently has nine members in the council while the opposition has 10, including Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella.

If the administration gets the ABC presidency, their numbers will go up to 10 while the opposition will only have eight allied members excluding Labella.

If the opposition gets the ABC presidency it will have a slim majority as they will have 10 members including Labella, while the BOPK will have nine members in the council.

The ABC elections are scheduled on July 30. —