Binay questions check points in UNA’s cebu Rally

Vice President Jejomar Binay belatedly questioned the timing of checkpoints during the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) rally last month during his visit to Cebu last Sunday.

Binay said he is taking up the issue after he received reports from supporters who were not able to attend their national kick off rally because they were flagged in check points.

“Itinaon pa noon sa aming proclamation rally,” he said of the check points.

Team Rama’s Councilors Jose Daluz III and Eduardo Rama Jr., as well as congressional aspirant Aristotle Batuhan, estimated the crowd in Plaza Independencia at 50,000.

Police Regional Office 7 director, Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo, estimated the peak crowd at 25,000.

UNA’s leaders in Cebu at at odds with Garbo because of perception he plays a big role in the ‘political persecution’ of suspended Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

Like President Benigno Simeon Aquino III who promised to campaign for Liberal Party’s local bets in Cebu, Binay also promised he would come back to campaign for their allies, specially the Garcia-led One Cebu Party./Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus

Rama defends City Hall spokesman

Despite facing a complaint for moonlighting for a candidate in Butuan City in Mindanao, Cebu City Public Information Officer Carlo Dugaduga can still continue performing his duties in the City Hall.

Mayor Michael Rama said he does not see anything wrong with Dugaduga’s decision to also help a candidate in Butuan City.

“For as long as his job at City Hall is not affected, I don’t see any problem,” Rama said.

He added Dugaduga’s political advocacy can be considered part of his exercise of his freedom of expression.

Unless the Visayas Ombudsman rules against Dugaduga, the mayor said, he can continue with his work in the City Hall.

Dugaduga who  is facing a probe by the Visayas Ombudsman admitted hosting a radio program for a candidate in Butuan City.

Dugaduga hails from Agusan del Norte.

Mayor Rama said he is confident that Dugaduga is well aware of what he is doing and he knows what the law allows being a former chairman of the KBP Cebu Chapter./Correspondent Edison Delos Angeles