All is well between Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella and Vice Mayor Michael Rama, the latter told The Freeman in an interview aired via Facebook Live.
“For me friendship-wise, partymate-wise, between the two of us, the mayor and myself, all’s well that ends well,” Rama said in the interview aired last night.
But in the vice mayor’s recounting, there was a series of missed and unanswered calls on both sides for days – throughout the time that they exchanged words on social media.
Rama said they talked on Monday.
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We talked this morning. Ikaw Edgardo may gani wa ta mag istorya atong Sabado sa gabii kay pwerti gyud nakong sukoa. Suko ba gyud ko sa akong nabasahan sa Facebook. But of course kana si Edgardo, I call him Edgardo, mukatawa lang na and at the same time naa na siya’y mga reactions nga amo lang sang duha.
Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama
Some of the highlights of the interview:
- When asked about the mayor’s health, Rama said he “discussed that matter with him about two months ago.”
- When asked whether he would press the mayor to decide whether to give way in running the city if his health prevents him from performing his tasks, Rama talked about “courtesy and utmost respect.”
- Rama stressed the importance of the liquidation of the supplemental budget, especially the more than P3 billion the City Council approved to fund the fight against COVID-19. He raised its importance considering that the elections are now coming.
- When asked if it’s still a Labella-Rama tandem in 2022, Rama said, “Dili na. Dili na. Dili na. Clear man ko sa akong gisulti dili na man ko mudagan og vice mayor. Dili na.”
- When asked if he will run for mayor and Labella for vice mayor, “Dili sab na maingon anang porma, mag istorya ming duha.”
Watch: The Freeman interview of Vice Mayor Mike Rama
What others are saying
PUBLIO BRIONES III writes in his Sun.Star Cebu column: “I for one don’t think the matter is any of my business. But, and it’s a big BUT, Mayor Labella is a public figure and I guess he owes the people who voted him into office the “truth” about his condition.”
READ: The denouement
The question at City Hall: Who’s the ungo (witch)?
ATTY. FRANK MALILONG writes that Councilor Niña Mabatid “raises certain very important issues that should not be swept under the rug simply because her motives are not pure, assuming that they are indeed not. First of all, who are “they”? She couldn’t be referring to Labella because as the mayor, it is his duty to run City Hall the way he sees fit without anyone accusing him of “nagbuot-buot” (interfering).”
Who then is the “ungo” (witch) that she claims has been doing everything at City Hall, including choosing the rice suppliers and dictating upon “puppet” councilors what to do with the budget and how, and whom to give and whom not to give favors?
Mabatid said she is not afraid of the City Hall witch. If it is true, why doesn’t she identify him or her? For the sake of the people of Cebu City, half of whom could be your constituents in Congress, do it now, Councilor Niña.
READ: Mabatid’s City Hall witch
ATTY. PACHICO SEARES points out that Councilor Mabatid’s Facebook post “alleges leadership by proxy, presumably an unelected mayor calling the shots, a potentially explosive election issue.”
And working from home tends to reinforce suspicion of loss of control. A reporter asked in Sunday’s Rama press-con: Could we be sure the signatures on documents are authentic? A conspiracy theory or a cause for serious concern.
Atty. Pachico A. Seares
Mayor Ahong Chan wants rapper to apologize for saying Lapulapu was beheaded
US-based Filipino rapper Ez Mil should apologize for the “insult” in his lyrics that said the Mactan chieftain was beheaded. His song “Panalo” contains the line “nanalo na ako nung mula pa na pinugutan si Lapu sa Mactan.” (I already won ever since Lapu was beheaded in Mactan.)
Nasuko ko, naglagot ko. Nagpataka lang siya himo og istorya. Unsa man nang iyaha, bahala og sayop basta kay aron siya mosikat? Dakong bugal-bugal ang iyang gihimo sa atong hero nga angay natong respetaran, dili bugal-bugalan.
Mayor Ahong Chan in a The Freeman report
READ: Chan demands apology from rapper over wrong lyrics
Police told to arrest those who fake COVID test results, certificates
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to arrest and prosecute those caught faking COVID-19 test results and their medical certificates.
READ: Individuals faking RT-PCR test, medical certificates face arrest
Vendors groups support Carbon market modernization but oppose Megawide collecting market fees
Two vendors’ associations yesterday aired their opposition to a provision in the joint venture agreement between the Cebu City Government and Megawide Construction Corp. to modernize the Carbon Public Market.
Erwin Goc-ong, chairman of the Cebu Market Vendors Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and Maria Pino, president of the Cebu City United Vendors Association Inc., said Megawide shouldn’t be allowed to collect market fees and charges.
“Lahi na og dagway ang usa ka pampublikong merkado kon ang mukolekta mao ang pribadong kompaniya (It just isn’t right having a private company collect fees at a public market),” Goc-ong said in a Sun.Star Cebu report.
