Labella, Rama announce tandem
After a week of reflection and seeking discernment from God, former Cebu City mayor Michael Rama announced yesterday that he has decided to slide down in favor of incumbent Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella in the coming elections.
Rama said he will sacrifice his political dream of taking back the position allegedly robbed from him by Mayor Tomas Osmeña in the 2016 elections. Rama, who leads the local opposition party Barug Team Rama, said he finally came with the decision after consulting his supporters and political advisers last week.
He admitted that it does not matter to him anymore if he is not the candidate for mayor, Rama said what is important to him now is to be back in the political arena for public service.
“Dili mana mahimo og monopoly but rather it has to be a mission. With a mission I have in mind putting consummate supreme sacrifice,” Rama said.
“Ang kinahanglan you have to go down and hit the pulse and bring yourself in a certain of objectivity and I find it the only way to do it is for me to be available for vice,” he added.
Rama said he believes that Labella is worthy to be the standard bearer of Barug Team Rama because the latter has the support of the president.
“Dili lang kay angay… Edgar being there for how many years, Edgar being the head of PDP Laban and the group has also being supported by this administration. I put this all together that is why I reached to that,” Rama said.
Labella is the chairman of PDP-Laban Cebu City chapter.
Despite being tagged by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte as drug protector, Rama believes it does not diminish his chances of winning as vice mayor in the coming elections.
“Wala ko magtan-aw ana…Dili gyud na siya, ma-clear og dili ma-clear, I am still available for vice,” he said.
Rama started his political career as city councilor from 1992 to 2001. He was later elected vice mayor from 2001 to 2010. In 2010 he was first elected mayor and got re-elected in 2013 until he lost his re-election bid in 2016 to Osmeña, his former ally and political mentor.
Labella said he was humbled and honored by the decision of Rama to slide down and support him. He lauded the former mayor for being a good leader by making the supreme sacrifice for the general welfare.
“Yes of course, I am humbled with the declaration of the mayor…He is really a true leader because a true leader is the one who does not mind the kind of public office,” Labella said.
Opposition Councilors Raymond Alvin Garcia and Joel Garganera said they were both surprised by the decision of the former mayor. They claimed to have not been consulted about it. Nevertheless, they said they are happy about the development.
“I am totally surprised as I have said before there will be only one candidate, og kinsa man ang vice mayor ug mayor, kana wala mi kahibawo. And it was really a surprised nga it come from the former mayor gyud nga he will be the vice mayor of Edgar Labella,” Garganera said.
It has been an issue for members of Barug Team Rama who will they support had the former mayor insisted on running for mayor. Garcia said that Labella and Rama make a ‘formidable’ tandem in the 2019 elections. He said both have their own political strength.
“Para nako Labella and Rama tandem is very formidable, you have a mayoralty candidate in the person of Labella who has really no issues, whatsoever. He is not involved in any issues that you know that will bring his name and reputation down,” Garcia said.