THE ruling Liberal Party (LP) will support the administration Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) party in Cebu City ahead of the filing of candidacies next month.
Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district said he received a certification signed by LP national president Manuel Roxas which authorizes him to issue a certificate of LP nomination to all BO-PK Cebu City candidates.
The certificate stated that the nomination for those seeking the posts of mayor and district representatives will be issued separately by the LP Manila headquarters.
Rep. Rachel “Cutie” del Mar of the north district already receiver her certificate of nomination from LP last Tuesday. But she also requested for another one for her father, former representative Raul del Mar, in case of a last minute switch.
Osmeña who is still in Manila told Cebu Daily News in a phone interview that his LP nomination and that of Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa, the BO-PK south district candidate, may be released today.
“I may get my nomination today yet because of the many certificates of nomination now being issued by LP,” he said.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama who will face Osmeña in next year’s elections, declined to comment.
“I cannot react to this immediately because we may be perceived as a cry baby,” Rama said.
The mayor, who went to Manila to follow up on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in the city, said he is still waiting for word from LP on this matter.
If LP already chose to support BO-PK, Rama said “the LP should be official enough to also give us (Team Rama) an answer why.”
Osmeña earlier received a text message from LP headquarters asking him to claim his nomination last week.
Osmeña said, the reason why LP may have chosen to support BO-PK is because they don’t like “traitors” like Rama.
“He (Rama) joined LP behind our back even if we endorsed him openly,” said Osmeña.
Although allied with LP in the 2010 election, BO-PK candidates except for Rama chose to keep their independence from the national party in accordance with their group principles. It was only Rama who secretly took his oath with LP.
Osmeña said even other LP Cebu members like Cebu province chairman Hilario Davide III, Bogo Mayor Celestino Martinez Jr., Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy and Rep. Luigi Quisumbing of Cebu’s 6th district don’t approve of including Rama in the LP.
“They don’t trust him (Rama). Junjun Davide checked with all of them,” Osmeña said.
Raul del Mar also said yesterday that he and Cutie already agreed who among them will run in next year’s election.
But they wanted their decision kept a secret even to other BOPK allies.
“There is still no need for us to make an announcement now,” he said.
The elder del Mar said the north district candidate will be known during the filing of their candidacy.
“This decision is a product of the widest consultation among our BO-PK leaders, barangay officials as well as the leaders of the various sectors in the district, friends and supporters,” he said.
Osmeña sent text messages to BO-PK allies on Tuesday to conduct a survey on their choice for a north district candidate in order to help Raul and Cutie decide.
Raul said he and Cutie also made their own consultations in the last six months.
He said their decision will be communicated to Osmeña at the proper time. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac