Team Rama files ‘COC of the people’

A day after their rivals in the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan filed their Certificates of Candidacy, members of Team Rama make their election bid official by filing their documents at the Commission on Elections yesterday.

“Today is the day of the people… The people have spoken. It was a people’s certificate of candidacy,” Mayor Michael Rama told reporters.

He and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella are seeking re-election.

Like BOPK, Team Rama started their day with a Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral where supporters assembled and later walked with the candidates to the Comelec office a few meters away.

Seeing the vast crowd in green and yellow, Rama said he felt “so happy, touched and quite emotional.” “Every time, times like this, I always remember my parents. I wish they were all around seeing the product of their blood being supported by many and I wish this will continue to be,” Rama said. Rama is the grandson of former senator Vicente Rama and nephew of former councilor Clemente Rama. “This is not a politics of destruction but this is a politics that I have been telling all members of the slate, let’s all build up (and) let us all be meritorious in our approach. Let’s not think of vengeance neither of bitterness… This city is wounded and there must be unity and together we can make things happen,” Rama said.

On the last day of the filing of COC’s yesterday, 64 filed in Cebu City but the Comelec has yet to verify this number.

Four are gunning for the city’s top two posts – Rama and former mayor Tomas Osmeña for mayor and Labella and councilor Nestor Archival Sr. for vice mayor.

Four are running for representative in the north district and three in the south district.

For Team Rama, former mayor Alvin Garcia is running for Congress in the north while incumbent councilor Gerardo Carillo is running for the south.

Also for the north district, Team Rama is fielding for councilor Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman, former congressman Pastor “Jong” Alcover, former city councilor Edwin Jagmoc, Tinago Barangay Captain Joel Garganera, and Edgardo “JP” Labella, Jr., son of Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, Councilor Noel Eleuterio Wenceslao, former barangay captain Jerry Guardo, and Kamputhaw Councilman Atty. Raymond Garcia.

For the south district, the team has reelectionist councilors David Tumulak, Hanz Nendell Abella, and James Cuenco; former city councilors Jose Daluz III, Jocelyn Pesquera, Eduardo Rama, Renato “JunJun” Osmeña Jr., son of former vice mayor Renato Osmeña Sr.; and Inayawan Barangay Captain Lutherlee “LotLot” Ignacio-Soon. —