Duterte ‘will campaign for Labella’s mayoral bid’
President Rodrigo Duterte will personally campaign for Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella who will run as mayor during the midterm election next year.
Opposition Councilor Raymond Garcia confirmed this after Labella and former mayor Michael Rama announced that they will be running as mayor and vice mayor, respectively.
“It’s a big factor that Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella is being supported by no less than President Duterte, and you will see that in the campaign. President Duterte will really come to Cebu and campaign for Mayor Edgardo Labella,” he told reporters yesterday.
President Duterte’s support is a big factor since his approval rating is still at 80 percent, Garcia said.
“People would say why will we support Mayor Tomas Osmeña when he’s an enemy of Duterte? The people want to support the programs of Duterte and it seems like the mayor, Tomas Osmeña, is undermining everything that the president is doing,” he said.
Osmeña has yet to issue a comment on the matter after he announced that he will no longer hold news conferences until Sept. 9, when he will be addressing the issues concerning the police.
Garcia said Rama is also welcomed to the events of President Duterte in Cebu.
This, despite the earlier pronouncement of Duterte that Rama was part of his list of alleged narco-politicians that he announced in 2016.
Earlier, more than a month before the filing of certificate of candidacy, the opposition group in Cebu City decided to let Labella run as mayor next year.
In a phone interview, Rama announced that he will be running as vice mayor, Labella’s running mate.
“Kada adlaw dili lalim akong giagian, sige ko’g huna-huna, thinking where will I be. At the end of the day, akong gitan-aw nga di man na mahimo nga akong awayon akong partner (I realized I should not fight my partner),” he told SunStar Cebu.
Rama and Labella will be the official candidates of opposition group Barug Team Rama.
For his part, Labella said he is thankful to Rama for the sacrifice.
“I am humbled by the declaration of the mayor (Rama) from that we can say that he is truly a true leader because a true leader is one that does not mind the kind of public office,” he said.
Rama confirmed the matter saying his decision was guided with discernment and mission to take back City Hall.
Rama said public service is not about the position, that is why the group decided to let Labella run for mayor. /