“I WANT him out (of City Hall) even if I have to do it myself.”
An openly peeved Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district made the threat in reference to Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, the man he endorsed as his successor in last year’s elections.
While confident that Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young is capable of defeating Rama, Osmeña said he’s prepared to challenge the mayor himself to make sure Rama won’t be reelected in 2013.
Osmeña said he regretted supporting Rama for mayor in 2010 despite opposition from Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) barangay captains who signed a petitioned against Rama.
He said all Rama did so far in his first year in office was to lead Cebu City close to bankruptcy.
Osmeña also questioned the mayor’s decisions like his P11.8-billion draft budget for next year and his refusal to pay the P133 million claims by the Rallos family.
The congressman railed against what he called Rama’s “anti-poor” policies like the demolition of shanties in the Mahiga Creek that displaced settlers and a plan to ban passenger jeepneys along Fuente Osmeña circle.
Osmeña criticized Rama’s plans to redesign Fuente Osmeña circle and Osmeña Boulevard to look like the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees in Paris, France.
“He (Rama) has delusions of grandeur and he does not care about the people,” he said.
Mayor Rama clarified in a radio interview that the redesign of Fuente Osmeña circle is a long-term plan along with the transfer of hotel entrances to prevent vehicles from congesting the road.
Rama said if redesign plans would push through, he would make sure that the circle’s name won’t be changed out of respect for the people who built the fountain.
Vice Mayor Young said he’s confident Rama won’t be able to implement the plans.
Osmeña voiced alarm over City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete’s admission that the proposed budget was reduced to P10.8 billion due to the discovery of P1 billion in discrepancies and double entries in the proposed appropriation.
“What does that tell you about these people who make a billion-peso mistake? They are trying to make a fool of the council but the truth is they are making a fool out of the people of Cebu,” he said./Reporter Doris C. Bongcac