CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has decided to postpone his supposed minor medical surgery in the United States on Saturday, Aug. 4.
In an interview, Osmeña said he could not leave the Cebuanos who are enveloped by fear due to the spate of killings.
“It is getting a little too hot here. I don’t want to make it appear that I am just running away,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
Osmeña is scheduled to leave the country this week to undergo an operation.
“I’m going to the United States to have an operation on my hernia because it opened up the abdominal muscle and it’s coming out. That’s why I can’t carry weights and I’m not allowed to go jogging and I have to do some of that,” Osmeña had previously said.
However, Osmeña said he could not afford to travel in what he considered as a crucial time for Cebu City.
“Don’t worry about me. My concern is the welfare of the city,” he said.
This is the fourth time that the mayor postponed his surgery.
Tomas vows to stick it out with Cadungog
Meanwhile, Osmeña vowed to protect former Tejero barangay captain and now Councilman Jessielou Cadungog, who is now facing murder charges for the death of PO3 Eugene Calumba.
“I am Cadungog’s security — close in. I will protect him and protect my people,” Osmeña said during the filing of murder and frustrated murder charges against Cadungog and his bodyguard, William Macaslang Jr.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG – 7) has filed a murder case against the two for the death of PO3 Eugene Calumba, and another frustrated murder case on the attempt of the life of Michael Banua.
Banua, an anti-crime volunteer, accompanied the police officer at the time Calumba was shot by Macaslang.
“It’s stupid. It’s plain stupidity. Here’s Jingjing (Cadungog) who’s on his way to work and he murdered somebody? How would you explain that?” Osmeña said.
“Bad people are trying to operate here, and I will be there,” he added.