Labella assures IBP: I will show up on May 10 debate with Osmeña

Reelectionist Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña (left) and his opponent in the mayoralty race, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, have agreed to a live debate moderated by the IBP Cebu City. |CDN Digital

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City Chapter hs received the assurance of Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who is running as mayor under Partido Barug-PDP Laban, that he will be present during the debate on Friday, May 10 at the Cebu City Sports Club.

Lawyer Regal Oliva, IBP Cebu City Chapter president, said a member of the staff of Labella informed her that the vice mayor, who was in Manila on Thursday morning would be home to Cebu by late Thursday evening, May 8.

Oliva said she would trust Labella that he would keep his word after requesting to move the debate from May 6 to May 10 because of his meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañan Palace on Monday, May 6.

Read more: Labella sought postponement of IBP debate to see Duterte at Malacañang Palace

Labella on the evening of May 4 requested the IBP to move the debate from May 6 to May 10 because of an important commitment in Manila which turned out to be Duterte’s second endorsement of the mayoral candidate.

“I trust that he will keep his word,” said Oliva.

Oliva said that the tickets to the May 6 debate would be honored for tomorrow’s debate, which would start on 1 p.m. and end at 4 p.m.

She reminds the supporters of the mayoral candidates that they would not be allowed to bring campaign materials such as posters, banners, ballooons, or fliers to the venue but they could wear their campaign shirts.

The audience are discouraged from being noisy or rowdy during the debate and anyone, who will be unruly, will be asked to leave the debate hall.

Oliva said that the debate would not be a rally or sortie and the audience should remain well-behaved and respectful to the candidates.

Read more: Cebu City debate: No campaign materials, balloons please

No gatherings, marches, or rallies are allowed outside the Cebu City Sports Club, and the management of the Cebu Business Park prohibits such activities as well.

Any group, who will attempt to do so, will not be allowed entry to the Cebu Business Park.

“Any group who will be marching into the Cebu Business Park will not be allowed entry. We also coordinated with the Philippine National Police (PNP) who will be stationed outside the venue for security,” said Oliva.

Reelectionist, Mayor Tomas Osmeña of the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK), said that he is ready for tomorrow’s debate as he had been ready for the May 6 debate.

He assured that he would be present during the debate and had been prepared to face his opponent on the stage.

CDN Digital tried to reach Labella, but he was not available for comment./dbs