BAÑOC
Former Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama reiterated his announcement that he will run for mayor in Cebu City in the next year’s election.
He will face a rematch with incumbent Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
Although the election is still very far, and we know that in politics there are many things to happen even within a fraction of a second, Rama has to be realistic in making his final decision.
Rama has to consider the two big obstacles that he has faced.
First is the number of his leaders in the barangay with the result of the latest barangay and SK elections, and second, his involvement in illegal drugs as alleged by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte.
Let’s look at the first factor.
The latest head count of barangay captains belonging to Team Rama is 30, way below the 50 of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK). This happened because majority of the BOPK bets won in the election plus there were two barangay captains who shifted their allegiance to BOPK, days after the elections.
Expectedly, the number will continue to increase because it is not new in our country for our leaders to shift allegiance to the one perceived as a powerful party in that particular given time. It is also expected that they have different reasons in their decisions to shift allegiance.
This factor should be analyzed by Rama carefully.
He has to realize that last election he lost to Osmeña when the latter has only 15 barangay captains as compared to his 65.
Although Rama may think also that if Osmeña could win with an inferior number of captains, why can’t he also?
Second is the allegation of President Duterte that he is a drug protector.
Rama should try his best to find ways that said allegation be erased; otherwise, it could affect his candidacy.
Although personally I don’t believe Rama is involved, but considering that the popular and people trusted president is the one accusing him, then Rama is in big trouble and he has a lot of explaining to do to the people of Cebu.
After meditating on such two factors, he has to consult first his group and especially Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella on the matter.
It is noteworthy that Labella also said that he is open to the idea of running for mayor in the next election.
Rama and Labella should see to it that their group will be united against the present city hall occupant.
If they could not patch up those things within their party, both of them will face a calamity in the next election.