OPPOSITION councilors assured their supporters yesterday that Barug Team Rama–PDP-Laban will never break apart while admitting that choosing their party’s standard bearer for next year’s midterm elections is indeed a huge dilemma.
Talks of internal conflict emerge after party stalwarts former Mayor Mike Rama and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella both expressed willingness to challenge incumbent Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña in next year’s polls.
In a press conference yesterday, Councilors Joel Garganera and Raymond Alvin Garcia also belied reports that some members of Barug will be leaving Rama, and will only be affiliated with PDP Laban.
“Barug is a local party and we’re just affiliates with PDP–Laban which is a national party. There’s nothing wrong with that. Our relationship right now is good,” said Garganera.
A Facebook Live video posted by fellow Barug member, Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr., last June 12, showed Rama slamming PDP–Laban for allegedly wanting to take his members under the party without him.
Just part of a process
“As I’ve said before, this is just a process (in choosing a standard-bearer) our party is getting into. Even our national parties in Manila, like Liberal Party (LP), in 2010 their standard bearer was Mar Roxas. But Cory Aquino died all of a sudden so PNoy (former President Noynoy Aquino) became popular. So the party decided PNoy to be the standard bearer with Roxas as the vice,” explained Garcia.
Both councilors also said that their group has yet to meet to come up with their final slate for the May 2019 elections.
On Wednesday, Labella revealed that majority of Barug’s members wanted him as their standard bearer. He did not name names.
Rama on the other hand, has already made known weeks ago, his intentions to challenge his avowed political nemesis next year.
Meanwhile, Osmeña said he would welcome anybody who would challenge his bid for a second term.
“I don’t know what’s up with them (Barug). But (as to who will be mayor), it’s not them who will decide. It’s the people of Cebu City. Not Team Rama and not PDP–Laban. But the more (candidates) there is, the better because it will give people more choices,” Osmeña said.