Labella tells Osmeña: Sorry, see you on May 10

 Osmeña                                                                          Labella

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgar Labella has apologized to the Cebuanos and his opponent, incumbent Mayor Tomas Osmeña, for seeking the postponement of their debate from Monday 6 to May 10 because of his need to travel to Manila for an important meeting.

But Labella said that he will surely show up if the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City Chapter would heed his request for a postpone of their debate to a new schedule on May 10 or three days before the midterm polls.

“I apologize to the Cebuanos and to Mr. Osmeña for the short notice. Since you agree (to the postponement), see you on the 10th,” Labella posted on his Facebook page.

IBP Cebu City Chapter is yet to issue a statement on Labella’s request for a May 10 postpone of the debate.

Read More: Labella to IBP Cebu City: Move May 6 debate with Osmeña to May 10

As of 7 a.m. today, May 5, Labella’s post generated 241 engagements, 89 comments and 49 shares coming from supporters, most of whom were telling him that they will continue to support his candidacy.  There were also those who commended Labella for his display of humility, which netizen Mario Desana said was “the mark of a true gentleman.”

Read more: Tom O., Labella debate moved to May 6

But for Osmeña, Labella was merely using lame excuses to avoid engaging in a debate with him.

Osmeña said that former councilor Jose Daluz III, whom Labella sent to represent him during the final conference which IBP called on May 3, never mentioned of his need to travel to Manila then.

The mayor also finds absurd Labella’s justification that he never gave his consent to the May 6 debate schedule since he only received on April 24 the IBP letter informing him of the postponement from its April 22 original schedule.

“You (Labella) say you only received the (IBP) letter on April 24. There are 10 days between April 24 and May 4. Why did you wait 10 days to cancel, on a weekend, no less?,” Osmeña said in a Facebook post made shortly after midnight today, May 5.

“If the (IBP) postponement letter indeed arrived 2 days after the debate’s original April 22 schedule, how can you claim that you only found out on April 24? Did you show up on April 22 and not realize that no one was there? Or were you really planning on being absent in the first place?

Osmeña said it would not even come as a surprise if Labella would still not show up even if their debate is rescheduled to May 10.

“What will your excuse be on May 10?,” he said.

Osmeña supporters told the mayor on his FB page that they were blocked for posting negative comments on Labella’s FB announcement, Saturday night while others say that Labella was simply scared to face off with him at the IBP debate.