Former Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama. /Delta Dyrecka Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — There is no need for Barug PDP-Laban mayoral candidate Edgardo Labella to face his opponent and incumbent Cebu City Tomas Osmeña in a debate.
This was the opinion of Labella’s runningmate and former mayor Michael Rama.
Rama said that since Labella was already doing “very well” in political surveys, there was no need for him to appear in debates and use this as a leverage for his campaign.
He also suspects that Osmeña will just use said debate as a venue to discredit Labella with his “baseless” accusations against the Barug PDP-Laban standard bearer.
The former mayor said he will try to convince Labella to back out from the mayoral debate schedule on April 22 and organized by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City Chapter.
Read More: IBP Cebu City live debate: Mayor Tom O, Vice Mayor Labella to face off on April 22
“Now Tommy is reacting. He just wants an opportunity, a venue (to get public attention), at the expense of Edgardo. That’s why I don’t want Edgar, if I can persuade Edgar, don’t join the debate,” Rama said in an interview with CDN Digital.
Rama added that it was also “pathetic” for Osmeña to pick at him because of his refusal to join the IBP-organized debate.
“I am not running for mayor so I find it (Osmeña’s criticisms) pathetic,” said Rama.
Rama said he finds it ironic that Osmeña, a former ally, is now trying to bend his principle against appearing in political debates. He said that Osmeña used to tell his colleagues at the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) that if “you are doing very of the survey, do not engage in a debates.” /dcb