TUMULAK
Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak bolted out of Team Rama and sent shock waves to his fellow Team Rama councilors, who did not expect this to happen.
But Tumulak does not intend to jump over the fence to the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK).
“From now on, I cannot say anymore that I am Team Rama or I am BO-PK,” Tumulak said.
He said he thinks of himself as an independent politician.
“I’m in shock up to this time (yesterday afternoon). I still can’t believe it,” Councilor Raymond Garcia said.
Councilor Jose Daluz III said he did not see this coming.
“But I wish him well and good luck,” he said.
Tumulak, being a Team Rama councilor, was given the chairmanship of the Committee on Peace and Order.
Daluz said Tumulak will retain his chairmanship over the committee.
Meeting
Tumulak met with Councilor Margot Osmeña behind closed doors Wednesday afternoon.
He wanted to ask her what Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s plans were for the city.
He said he asked Margot if he could talk with her husband, the mayor, because as a public servant, he wanted to know the plans of the mayor for the Cebuanos.
Tumulak revealed that Margot asked him if he would join the other Team Rama councilors who would take their oath as members of PDP Laban tomorrow to which he replied no because he did not want to be a member of PDP Laban, which incidentally is the political party President Rodrigo Duterte ran under (see separate story).
But he clarified that this is not the reason why he decided to leave Team Rama.
“First of all, I was elected by the people. Secondary nalang ng political party. Aware na si mayor Mike ug si Margot nga (mayor Mike and Margot are aware that) I do not have plans on running in the next election,” he said.
He also clarified that there was no offer from Mayor Osmeña for him to join BO-PK. Having a political party is no longer important to him, Tumulak added.
Mayor Osmeña, for his part, said, “No, I did not ask Councilor Tumulak to leave the party named after and led by a named drug protector. But I do appreciate the effort.”
Tired
Asked about his reasons for leaving Team Rama, Tumulak said he was tired of political quarrels in Cebu City.
“Tungod sa kasamok na gyud sa politika sa siyudad sa Sugbo (Because of the political bickerings in Cebu City. Its unfair also sa mga Cebuanos nga ato pang giprolong ang agony on politics dinhi sa Cebu City (It is unfair to the Cebuanos to prolong the agony of politics). We have to move on. We have to show the people of the City of Cebu that we are elected and we can perform what is good for the city,” he said.
As long as he will do his job as an elected councilor, he said he will just focus on serving the residents of Cebu City.
“The important thing is how can you perform your task as a public servant,” he added.
He said he will no longer take part in whatever gatherings conducted by the Team Rama, but he will attend caucus meetings of both parties as long as he is needed, depending on the agenda.
He said that during regular sessions, if there is a voting process, he will vote according to his conscience.
Tumulak said he never told anyone regarding his decision to leave his party to any Team Rama member prior to his announcement before the media yesterday.
He said he did not consult anyone, not even former mayor Michael Rama.