Tom on ABC mess: No explanation needed

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña sees no need to justify his presence at the venue of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) elections last Monday.

This after defeated ABC president, Mabolo, Cebu City Village Chief Prisca Niña Mabatid sought the help of the Office of the President in filing a complaint against Osmeña and newly-elected ABC President Franklyn Ong over a “farce” ABC polls.

The mayor and the new ABC president are allies in the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).

“I don’t have to justify, she (Mabatid) is not my judge. So, she can go to hell. I don’t work for her,” Osmeña said.

But Osmeña said he is willing to answer the complaints that would be filed against him.

The counsels of Mabatid are now studying the possible charges they can file against Osmeña and Ong before the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Mabatid’s camp contended that Osmeña and Ong committed violations when the mayor stayed at the voting venue, which they believe influenced the outcome of the polls, and when Ong allegedly bribed barangay captains with laptops and money.

These prompted Mabatid’s camp to walk out of the election venue even before voting began.

Ong got the 51 votes from BOPK-allied captains during the ABC elections while Mabatid got zero.

As Mabatid would argue, however, she did not lose, technically, because she and her supporters from the Barug Team RamaPDP Laban walked out of the venue.

She claimed that at least 19 barangay captains allied with BOPK assured her of their votes.

But the presence of the mayor reportedly got the barangay chiefs intimated, said Mabatid.

Osmeña, however, belied all opposition’s allegations, saying he did nothing illegal.

“I am just curious, of course, I am curious. I was excited, so I went there. Can I go in? The other guy just said just wave mayor, I just looked inside. I didn’t say one word, there was no voting yet. I just stood inside, waved from the door,” he said.

With its recent defeat, Osmeña said, the opposition is just playing a drama.

“In election in Philippine politics, you only have one winner and those who are cheated, mao gyud na. She’s so blatant offering money and I think some accepted, hala,” he said.

Ong, for his part, said everyone should move on because elections are over.

“Humana ang ABC elections. The majority of punong barangays have made their choices. Let’s move on,” he said.