Tomas to mull captaincy if he’s retiring

SINCE he’s too busy attending to his election protest case, outgoing Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district said he’s not thinking about running for barangay captain in Guadalupe in the barangay elections this October.

“Maybe when I decide to retire I will run as barangay captain of Guadalupe. At least maka hatag ko ug service sa akong mga silingan (I can serve my neighbors),” he said.

Osmeña laughed at rumors that he will run for Guadalupe barangay captain against former ally and Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) president Eugenio Faelnar.

He parted ways with Faelnar over suspicions that Faelnar and some other barangay captains made money from projects done by Arante Construction.

These rumors also state that if Osmeña wins as Guadalupe barangay captain, he can run for ABC president and win a seat in the City Council as an ex officio member.

He will be challenging the bid of outgoing City Councilor Edu Rama who is rumored to be running for Basak San Nicolas barangay captain and then ABC president.

“That is very ridiculous. That is not going to happen,” said Councilor Margot Osmena, the congressman’s wife.

Osmeña said he isn’t thinking of the barangay elections.

But if he decides to retire from Cebu City politics, he would not mind running for Guadalupe barangay captain.

Working on a barangay is simpler that running a city, he said.

“It’s like going back to kindergarten. It’s like going back to basics. And I will be honored if they allow me one day to be a barangay captain,” he said.

Faelnar said in a separate interview that he has not discussed his plans for the barangay elections with Rama whom he helped campaign in Guadalupe during the May 13 election.

If he runs, he said, he was prepared to face Osmeña or even incumbent Guadalupe barangay captain Michael Gacasan.

Faelnar said he prefers that the barangay election would be free of any political interference.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said during the 888 news forum last Sunday that the barangay elections is supposed to be non partisan.

But he said he was prepared to support candidates who also helped in his re-election.

“Let’s not be hypocrites. The mayor cannot take a vacation from the elections,” he said.

But Rama still refused to talk about the barangay elections and Team Rama’s plans. Correspondent Edison delos Angeles