Rama belittles election protest of Tomas

REELECTED Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is confident the election protest filed by losing mayoral bet Tomas Osmeña will not flourish.

Mayor Rama cut his planned 22-day vacation yesterday to attend to many pressing issues hounding the City Hall.

But he said he is unfazed by the election protest that cited, among others, massive vote buying in his favor in the days leading to the May 13 vote.

As a lawyer, he claims that he could say that Osmena’s election protest will not be admitted in court.

“It cannot stand in court. Ako ang protestee pero ang mga affidavits wala mo connect ni Mike Rama,” he said. (I am the protestee but the affidavits did not directly link me.)

Rama said he is yet to receive an official copy of the election protest from Comelec but he already read a photocopy of the document and accounts published in newspaper reports.

“There is no direct proof that Mike Rama was doing the vote buying,” he said.

Affidavits attached to Osmena’s complaint mentioned Rama allies as the ones who allegedly called on some voters to come to their homes or barangay halls and gave them money in exchange for votes for Team Rama candidates.

He said he does not want to speak in behalf of these allies.

“Let them answer it,” he said.

Meanwhile, newly elected Cebu City south district Rep. Rodrigo Abellanosa had already entered his name in the roll of the 16th Congress last May 29.

Abellanosa said he also took his oath last week before Court of Appeals Justice Pampeo Abarientos.

“That is to tell Totol (Batuhan) that it is already impossible for him to preempt my entry into the 16th Congress and the best thing (that) he can do is to accept his defeat graciously and to acknowledge the clear mandate of the people,” said Abellanosa.

By Monday, Abellanosa said he will be joining President Benigno Aquino III and other winners in the congressional race from other parts of the country who are also allied with the Liberal Party for lunch in Malacanang.

Batuhan had earlier asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate Abellanosa for electioneering and vote buying.

He also asked the Comelec to file appropriate charges against Abellanosa for violations of the Fair Election Act.

Rama said that while he is asking Osmeña to already concede, he would not prevent his ally Batuhan from seeking the disqualification of Abellanosa.

“He has legal grounds to do it so let him do it,” said Rama.