Tom O appeals to supporters at proclamation rally: Vote straight for BO-PK

Reelectionist Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena speaks before thousands of supporters at the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan proclamation rally on March 30 at the Cebu City Sports Complex. |Delta Dyrecka Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — “Carry the entire BO-PK (Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan) slate.”

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña made this call to the estimated 18,000 supporters who showed up at the BO-PK proclamation rally on Saturday, March 30, at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).

Mayor Osmeña, who is running for reelection, said that they (supporters) would need to carry the entire BO-PK slate so that the projects of the current administration would continue including the controversial Isla de la Victoria, an P18 billion mixed-development project on an 80,000 square meter lot in the South Road Properties.

Read more: Isla dela Victoria deal inked

The project involves a 50 year lease of the lot with the city government getting a 10 percent share of the profit of Universal Hotels and Resorts Inc. within that 50 year span.

Members of the opposition party, Barug-PDP Laban, had filed two lawsuits against the current city administration for pushing through with the project in December 2018.

Mayor Osmeña claimed that the opposition would only hamper the projects that he had started.

“We are the builders and they are the destroyers,” said Miguel Osmeña, the mayor’s son who spoke to the crowd at the CCSC after the short speech of his father, Mayor Osmeña.

Read more: BOPK supporters start to crowd sports center

During Saturday’s rally, the complete BO-PK slate appeared before the crowd in their signature blue and yellow shirts led by reelectionist Mayor Osmeña and his running mate for vice mayor, Mary Anne Delos Santos.

The north district slate were led by incumbent Representative and reelectionist, Raul del Mar together with the candidates for councilors Alvin Arcilla, Jerry Guardo, Sisinio Andales, Joy Young, Leah Japson, Nestor Archival, Marlo Maamo, Alvin Dizon.

Read more: Arcilla’s camp assures he is still a bona fide candidate for Cebu City councilor

Arcilla and Andales are facing disqualification cases from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) First and Second Divisions, respectively.

Both candidates will be filing for a motion for reconsideration on their cases at the Comelec en banc.

Read more: Councilor Andales to contest Comelec ruling disqualifying him from seeking another term

They were disqualified based on a complaint of a certain Allen Canoy, who claimed that the two candidates were no longer eligible for running this May 2019 elections as they have served three consecutive terms in 2010, 2013, and 2016.

On the other hand, the south district slate was led by incumbent Representative and reelectionist, Rodrigo “Bebot” Abellanosa together with candidates for councilors Kirk Bryan Repollo, Eugenio Gabuya Jr., Dave Tumulak, Michael Gacasan, Amay Abella, Roberto Cabarrubias, Raul Alcoseba, Rengelle Pelayo.

Read more: Osmeña-led BO-PK backs 5 senatorial candidates

The BO-PK also endorsed five senatorial  candidates during the grand rally including Senators Grace Poe, Cynthia Villar of the Nacionalista Party, Sonny Angara of Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), Cebu’s own Sergio “Serge” Osmeña III, and former Special Assistant to the President Bong Go.

Bong Go was not able to attend the event but sent celebrity Ai Ai Delas Alas as a representative.

Reelectionist Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor for police matters, said  in a separate interview that the crowd that attended the BO-PK proclamation rally was estimated at 18,000.

Tumulak said that the crowd estimate came from the police./dbs