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An Osmeña will run for Congress to represent Cebu City’s south district next year.
For the first time, Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday said he was thinking of seeking a seat in Congress when his term ends in 2010.
But the candidate may also turn out to be his wife, Margot or eldest sister, Maria Victoria “Minnie” Osmeña.
Tomas said that he or a family member has to secure the south district, where his centerpiece reclamation project, the South Road Properties (SRP) is still being developed.
“So who will run for the south district? It is either Minnie, Margot or me,” the mayor said.
In previous interviews, the mayor said he would retire from politics and focus on his health after he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer of the urinary bladder last October.
After chemotherapy and surgery to remove his bladder, Osmeña has been given a clean bill of health.
Yesterday, he said he could not sit idly and watch as other congressmen jeopardize the investments of the nearly 300-hectare project.
Only an Osmeña can match the political machinery of the opposition’s bet, businessman Jonathan “Atan” Guardo in the district, the mayor said.
Guardo, in response, said he was “flattered” the mayor had to change plans because of him.
“I am not bothered. In fact, I am flattered. It will be a fun election. That will be very interesting,” said Guardo.
According to Tomas, it would take more than Councilors Gerardo Carillo and Rodrigo Abellanosa to beat the businessman’s network.
Only Vice Mayor Michael Rama could give Guardo a run for his money, said the mayor.
But Osmeña said he couldn’t convince Rama to throw his hat in the ring because Rama is bent on running for mayor as standard bearer of Bando Osmeña- Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) in 2010.
“He (Guardo) is really spending a lot of money, and our acting mayor... I am warning him (Rama) even from Houston, nothing... nothing to counter everything, not even basic services. You can see, that is the danger spot. I just don’t think Carillo or Bebot (Abellanosa) could handle it,” Tomas said.
It is not just Tomas who is convincing Rama to run for congressman.
At least 56 of Cebu City’s 80 barangay captains in both north and south districts have signed a manifesto asking the mayor to consider Margot as BO-PK standard bearer in 2010 instead of Rama.
While they have nothing against Rama, they said he was best suited for legislation especially since he is a lawyer.
The barangay captains said they believe Margot could carry on the kind of leadership shown by Tomas’ nine-year tenure as mayor.
They said it was easier to deal with Margot for their projects.
“Partner na ‘na si Margot sa amo mga kapitan. Kung naa ‘mi projects, siya gyud na mo-follow up. Patilawa pud mi sa north district ni Margot. Padaganon lang unta siya og mayor (Margot has been our partner. If we have projects, she would follow these up. Please let us, in the north district, have Margot. Let her run for mayor),” said Talamban barangay captain Alvin Arcilla, one of the prime movers of the manifesto.
“We have been pleading,” he said for the mayor to change his mind.
But Tomas said he has to protect the south district especially since the SRP is located there.
“I’d like to rest but we will see. I cannot afford (a) congressman in the south district who is hostile to the SRP. Most of the congressman in the province are already ganging up on us and (south district Representative) Tony Cuenco is even siding with them,” he added, referring to the opposition.
Tomas said he could not force Rama to run for Congress because others may think Osmeña just wants to reserve the mayorship for a family member.
“Mike Rama unta but if I force Mike Rama to run in the south, it will appear to the people that I have my own agenda, that I want my wife to run (for mayor). That is why I don’t even like her to. Nauwaw gyud ko sa mga tawo ana kay I’m not that kind of a person,” Tomas said.
But Guardo said the opposition is still expecting Tomas to hold on to the mayorship of Cebu City by proxy.
“I am not buying that,” said Guardo.
“We believe the mayorship is reserved for an Osmeña and I think Rama will slide to the south district.”
If not, “it would not be far-fetched to have Margot run as mayor, with Minnie in the north and Tomas in the south,” Guardo told Cebu Daily News.
The opposition hasn’t completed its lineup pending developments in the BO-PK slate.
But Guardo said they may field lawyer Aristotle Batuhan or former Cebu City mayor Alvin Garcia for mayor or vice mayor.
“Wala pa man sad sila. Almost everyday mag usab-usab sila og huna-huna (They have not made up their minds yet. Almost everyday, they change their minds),” Guardo said.
The mayor earlier threatened not to campaign for Rama in 2010 after he learned that the vice mayor was making peace with his arch rival Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
But Tomas said Vice Mayor Rama has been getting better since the mayor arrived from the United States where he underwent surgery.
He said in jest that he was surprised that Rama did not sing during a BO-PK gathering, unlike in the previous gathering.
“Ako nipusta ko sa uban kapitan nga mukanta siya... pildi pa ko... That’s good. That’s an improvement,” he said during a news conference.
Still, the mayor said he was upset that the vice mayor had failed to counter the programs of Guardo in the south district.
“Can you imagine? The Ramas are from the south district and 21 barangay captains don’t like him to be mayor. It would have been more if I told the others not to sign (the manifesto) because the others are asking me if they will sign and I told them not to sign,” he added.
But he said he was not worried that the manifesto would affect Rama’s mayoral bid because the opposition did not pose a strong challenger.
Arcilla, for his part, said that while the manifesto would not hurt Rama’s chances in the mayoralty race, they were worried about what would happen to the city under a Rama administration.
“Dili maka-affect ang manifesto sa candidacy but what will happen next... for three years (if Rama will win)?” Arcilla continued.
The Talamban barangay captain said that the best mayor is someone with “strong conviction and political will to implement the laws” and who has a harmonious relationship with the barangay officials.
He said they don’t see these criteria in Rama.
“Since 2007, we (barangay captains) have been praying that Margot would be the next mayor. I hope Mayor Tom will be enlightened,” he said.
Vice Mayor Rama, however, said he hopes the barangay captains would give him a chance.
“I’m not bothered (by the manifesto and new names being floated) but am concerned. I am giving my full trust and confidence in my leader, my mentor (Tomas),” Rama said.
Rama said he could not directly provide projects to the barangays since he is not mayor yet and the job of a vice mayor is limited to legislation.
But Rama said he had projects that benefited the entire city such as the renovation of the old City Hall, the beautification of Plaza Sugbu, among others. Under his watch as vice mayor, City City was given a national award for his projects. (See related story on page 2)
“Just give me a chance to become mayor so you can see my style of leadership,” he added. /With a report from Correspondent Chris Ligan
