Rama quits LP, mum on joining UNA ranks

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama confirmed yesterday that he cut his ties with the administration Liberal Party (LP) but declined to comment on whether he’ll run under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

The mayor’s shift to UNA was mentioned by the alliance’s spokesman Joey Salgado, who said Rama accepted the offer of Vice President Jejomar Binay to run under the UNA banner.

In an Inquirer.net story, Salgado said the meeting occurred in a wedding of Ernest Herrera, son of former senator Ernesto Herrera held in Cebu last Saturday.

The LP picked Rama’s predecessor and former ally Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district as its mayoralty bet in next year’s elections.

Rama said he considers himself as an independent but when asked if he’ll join UNA, he replied that he will cross the bridge when he gets there.

He said he still supports the administration of President Benigno Aquino III but not the administration LP.

Salgado also claimed that Rama will remain in LP, but the mayor said he cut his ties with the administration party after it supported Osmeña over him.

Rama confirmed that he met Binay during the wedding but he refused to talk on what they have discussed, saying it is still under negotiations.

Osmeña said it wasn’t unusual that Rama chose to break off his ties with LP since “he has severed his ties with everyone” including the barangay captains who supported his mayoralty run in the 2010 elections.

He said Rama severed his ties with his Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) after the mayor took oath with the LP in what he called as a “backdoor alliance” that’s contrary to his party’s principles.

Osmeña also said Rama severed ties with the barangay captains who helped him become mayor when he was still with BO-PK by not releasing financial assistance to them.

“He calls me the bully but he’s the one who fires people at City Hall because he wants to play as an underdog,” Osmeña said.

The BO-PK slate will reportedly file their candidacies on Oct. 4.

“But I wouldn’t mind filing on the same day as theirs,” Osmeña said. Correspondents Jhunnex Napallacan and Edison delos Angeles