Cebu City Vice Mayor Labella. | CDN File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who is running for mayor under Partido Barug-PDP Laban, denied the allegations of Mayor Tomas Osmeña that he forced the barangay chiefs of Bonbon and Malubog to pledge support to him in the May 13, 2019 election.
Osmeña, the standard bearer of Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan, claimed in his Facebook page that Captain Eddie Cabriana of Bonbon and Captain Dennis Dabuco of Malubog were called by the police to go to the Vice Mayor’s office, where Labella allegedly asked them to support him.
Labella retaliated with a Facebook post and answered Osmeña’s allegations.
Labella said he neither arrange the visit of the barangay chiefs to his office nor asked them to support him.
Instead, Cabriana and Dabuco went to his office without being coerced to do so.
“I did not arrange the visit and I did not ask them to give me half of their leaders, because that is not my style, Mr. Osmeña. Tan-awa lang unya ang result sa election sa Barangay Bonbon ug Barangay Malubog para naa ka idea kun unsa gyud among nasabutan,” Labella said.
(Just wait for the results of the votes of Barangay Bonbon and Barangay Malubog so you will have an idea what we talked about.)
Labella said many barangay chiefs approached him the past days to express their support for him.
Labella said these barangay leaders did not openly express their support for him out of fear for Osmeña.
The Vice Mayor also denied that he used the police to round up erring habal-habal drivers so they can only get their motorcycles back if they pledge support to him.
“As to the question of the police allegedly rounding up the habal-habal drivers and threatening them, then you should ask the police, not me. As far as I’m concerned I will always help anybody who comes to me for help with the PNP or any government agency,” said Labella.
Following this response, Labella challenged Osmeña to answer the allegations regarding his involvement in the illegal butane refilling business.
In an interview with the media on Friday, April 12, 2019 Labella said he would never start a fight against the mayor and will simply answer to any of the mayor’s allegations.
“I will never resort to character assassination,” said Labella.
Labella also slammed the mayor for challenging him to a bet on how Partido Barug-PDP Laban will fare in the upcoming May 13 elections.
“Gambling will always be illegal,” he said. / celr