Rama allies in Guba jump to BOPK camp

All newly-elected officials in the mountain barangay of Guba, Cebu City have pledged alliance to Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), leaving behind their erstwhile camp, the Barug Team Rama-PDP Laban.

Guba officials who bolted Team Rama yesterday include reelected village chief Orlan Herrera, and barangay councilors Alexander Bontilao, Richel Erana, Yvonne Miñoza, Teodoro Borbon, Antonio Miñoza Sr., Nelson Gabunada, and Julito Ardiente.

The FREEMAN tried last night to get Herrera’s comment on the development but to no avail.

Osmeña, though, said he was grateful that Guba officials have transferred to BOPK since it will further cement the party’s numbers in the run up to the election of Cebu City’s president of Association of Barangay Councils.

"There’s a good chance with God's blessing,” Osmeña said, expressing optimism on the ABC elections. BOPK needs to win the ABC to add another ally at the City Council.

Osmeña expects more barangay officials to follow suit.

Rama, in a separate interview, said he was not shocked about the transfer since he already heard insinuations about the move before.

“It was a matter that occurred even before nag-start ang campaign. Actually, we did not count him to be part of Barug Team Rama at the start of the campaign,” he said.

But what can Rama say about other barangay leaders who have the prospects of jumping into the BOPK wagon?

“I do not know. I cannot control their minds,” he said.

Yesterday, City Councilors Joel Garganera and Raymond Alvin Garcia said they were not surprised at all at how the elections in Cebu City on Monday went.

“Naa gani ang administrasyon, they can always master the barangay elections. Og kinsa ang sitting mayor, he can always,” said Garganera.

Garganera said whoever will be the minority and majority at the council, they will still continue to do their responsibilities and duties as elected officials.

Garcia said he was still grateful that they still got more than 10 barangays, which was “opposite to what he expected.”

“I was very happy with the result of barangay elections. I was not expecting 31 barangays to win actually. Because if you remember when Mike Rama was mayor he had 65 barangay captains, so I was assuming that mayor Osmeña because he is the mayor. He would also be getting 65 barangay captains but he only got 49 and we got the 31,” he said.

“But we are still hopeful that the barangay captains will cross party lines and choose candidate who they think will serve their best interest and the interest of the barangay,” he added. —