BET OR BAIT? TRO FANS OUSTER ANGLE

But Councilor Joel Garganera says the opposition is having ‘a very healthy discussion’ and urges everyone to focus on work, not the 2019 elections

By turning down his challenge, an opposition councilor bolstered his speculation about a rift among Barug Team Rama members, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña believes.

Last Thursday, Osmeña placed a bet of P40,000 to the opposition’s P10,000 that Barug Team Rama will kick out former mayor Michael Rama as mayoral candidate for the 2019 elections.

The challenge, though, was turned down by opposition Councilor Joel Garganera.

He called the mayor’s pronouncement a “trap” and a ploy to know who his opponent would be in the 2019 polls.

This response, however, was taken by Osmeña as proof to support his speculations about the real status of the opposition.

“Garganera did not accept the challenge, which means I am really convinced that they have decided to kick out Rama. I’m emphasizing this because I want to show that they’re liars and I want to create that embarrassment. Let’s make a bet, but di sila mudawat (they wouldn’t take it),” he told reporters.

Osmeña issued the challenge after the opposition denied the claims he made about Barug Team Rama on his Facebook page.

He claimed in a Facebook post dated Jan. 23, that a “heated debate” happened in Garganera’s office late Tuesday afternoon.

“Shouting is being heard from behind closed doors. My insider there is telling me they want to support another candidate for mayor. Apparently no one wants to support a known drug protector, even though they themselves didn’t mind it at all when he was still in power,” reads a part of Osmeña’s post.

Garganera has denied the alleged heated debate, and added that the speculations might have been circulated because Osmeña doesn’t know who he will be up against in the 2019 polls.

The mayor said he is not afraid of whoever the opposition chooses as their mayoral candidate since his main opponents are the big establishments that he had run after during his term.

He said that whoever the opposition’s candidate is will get the support of big business establishments that are against him.

Sought for comment on the mayor’s latest pronouncement, Garganera stood pat that the former is just in limbo.

“I don’t know what his bases are. Our party is still talking and it’s a very healthy discussion. Trabaho lang sa ta (Let’s work), we have time for the elections. He can’t showcase any accomplishment in his administration that’s why iyang gidaginot ang gagmay na storya (he’s making a mountain out of a molehill). Governance is a serious business. I don’t care what’s inside your mind, but you can’t get my answers,” he said .