Two weeks before the Oct. 1-5 deadline for the filing of candidacies, opposing camps of Rep. Tomas Osmeña and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama are ready with their lineups for the city’s north and south districts.
Rama announced the entry of lawyer Aristotle Batuhan as the south district congressional candidate for his Team Rama.
Osmeña confirmed that former councilor Nestor Archival is part of their north district slate.
Asked what he would do now that the Liberal Party appears set to support his rival Osmeña, Rama said, he was prepared.
“I know that politics is fluid and is a tale of the unexpected. But what is more important is that our slate is complete,” said Rama.
Rama said he is still waiting for final word from LP national president Manuel Roxas.
Osmeña heads the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) which received endorsement from the LP last Thursday.
Archival will replace Frankly Ong, the Cebu City chapter head of the Liga ng mga Barangay Kagawad ng Pilipinas (LBKP).
Osmeña told 50 barangay captains who attended the assembly of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) at the Grand Convention Center about LP’s support for BO-PK.
“I presented that I am the Liberal Party member. May I have the honor to secure my certificate of nomination,” said Rama when asked about the content of his letter to Roxas.
Former congressman Raul del Mar said he and his daughter, Rep. Rachel del Mar already decided who between them would run in 2013 but wanted to announce it at the last minute as part of their “strategy.”
As LP city chairman, Osmeña said he has been authorized by Roxas to also issue the certificates of nomination for other city candidates.
In Team Rama, Basak San Nicolas barangay Captain George Rama said his sister Anabelle will bring his children led by beauty queen Ruffa Guttierrez to Cebu and some of her talents when she files her COC.
Rama said that having Batuhan on their slate is a boost to Team Rama since he shares their political direction. Batuhan used to be Transportation and Communications undersecretary.
Councilor Jose Daluz III will be Team Rama’s general campaign manager along with Councilor Edu Rama.
Batuhan said he is grateful that Daluz agreed to “step aside” to allow his entry into Team Rama.
His candidacy was announced in a press conference held at the White Gold House yesterday.
Batuhan and Rama said they didn’t plan the announcement to be timed with the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Martial Law.
“We are coming together with a single purpose to make sure that the mistakes of Martial Law, where one person and only one family was dominating politics, governance (in the country) will not be repeated (in Cebu City),” Batuhan said.
Batuhan said Cebu City needs a “new brand of leadership” and assured Rama that if he is elected, he would focus on a legislative agenda and not interfere with the mayor’s functions.
“I will not be a congressman who will compete with the mayor in project implementation and delivery of services,” he said.
Batuhan also challenged Abellanosa to a debate to discuss issues like the possible conflict of interest posed by Abellanosa’s Asian College of Technology (ACT) in the city’s scholarship program.
“Instead of discussing advocacy and issues, he (Abellanosa) sings with his band, cracks jokes and engage in bingo games,” he said.