Rama, Binay reps talk on rally

Vice President Jejomar Binay will send his “confidante” to Cebu City today to discuss with Team Rama leaders the details of the Feb. 12 proclamation rally in Toledo City.

Councilor Jose Daluz III, Team Rama campaign manager, said Mayor Michael Rama authorized him, former councilor Jocelyn Pesquera and businessman Rene Mercado to meet with Binay’s representative.

“It is also important for them to know what activities we will be having in the city,” he said.

Mayor Rama said in an earlier interview he wanted a separate UNA proclamation rally in Cebu City.

The mayor said he preferred that the rally be timed with the Team Rama campaign opening salvo on March 29.

Rama said while his group supports UNA candidates, they also have to introduce themselves to Cebu City voters.

He said that city voters are different from Cebu province voters. “That is the problem there because UNA is a convergence of many parties,” Daluz said.

Top UNA leaders like Binay, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and former president Joseph Estrada planned to kick off their party’s campaign sorties in vote-rich Cebu.

Suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who left the Capitol last Tuesday evening to visit Oslob town, said she is committed to attending the UNA opening campaign salvo.

Garcia’s suspension has become a talking point between the Palace and UNA leaders who claimed that it signaled a crackdown on UNA’s political allies.

Liberal Party mayoralty bet and Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district belittled the planned UNA rally, saying it cannot muster a huge crowd.

He pointed to what he said was the small turnout at the Capitol for the governor’s prayer rally last month.

The campaign for local positions official starts on March 29. Osmeña said LP Cebu can always plan a launching rally anytime, he said.

“No need to plan now. It only takes a week to plan and mobilize a launching,” he said. Correspondent Edison delos Angeles