Mayor denies suspension rumors

With only 10 months left before next year’s elections, rumors are circulating at the Cebu City Hall on the looming suspension of Mayor Tomas Osmeña from his post.

The mayor is facing eight administrative cases with prayers of preventive suspension before the Office of the President.

“I’m used to this oi. You know I’m also dying of cancer? I died 10 years ago if you’re going to believe that,” the mayor told reporters amid rumors that he will be suspended for a year.

The eight administrative cases were filed by different members of the oppositions and their allies.

City Councilor Pastor Alcover, Jr. filed four administrative cases against Osmeña.

These cases include the mayor allegedly enticing policemen with cash rewards for killing of persons involved in illegal drugs; designating his allied councilors with deputy mayor positions; designating his wife, Councilor Margot Osmeña, as deputy mayor which is alleged nepotism; and for ordering to hold once a month flag raising ceremony which should be done every day.

Other complainants filed four other cases such are the alleged illegal operation of vans-for-hire terminal in Barangay Kamagayan; alleged illegal appointment of two acting mayors when he went on a vacation leave; alleged illegal reopening of the Inayawan sanitary landfill; and the case accusing Osmeña of owning two units of Dodge Charger vehicles donated by Bigfoot Global Solution to the city government.

Osmeña said he is used to “intrigues” of being suspended as he was used of being intrigued of dying of cancer, addicted to morphine, among others.

The mayor believed that Presidential Assistant for Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino is working to get him suspended.

“I’ll tell you something. Dino is pushing for it. He’s rolling all over under the table of anywhere just to get me suspended because he is going to be the mayor. It’s not Labella, it’s Dino. Don’t you understand that? Labella is just a bubble. Labella is nothing without Dino. Mike Rama is stronger than Labella,” Osmeña said.

“So, Dino knows he cannot win the elections. He’s going to be the proxy mayor of Cebu. That’s what’s happening,” he added.

Labella was not available for comment as of press time.

Osmeña said he will just defend himself once the suspension order will really be released.

“If the president wants to suspend me, he can suspend me. It’s easy to lift these things up. But I will fight it,” he added.