Cebu City councilor Roberto Cabarrubias
CEBU City Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias is sticking it out with the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK).
Back from a personal trip to Vietnam, he yesterday denied leaving the political camp even though he voted for the Aug. 13 City Council resolution authorizing Mayor Michael Rama to sell 45 hectares of the South Road Properties (SRP) through public auction.
He said Councilor Gerry Carillo, who announced the pullout of four of them, including Noel Wenceslao and Richard Osmeña to form an independent bloc, was mistaken.
“BO-PK gihapon ko. Dili ko mobiya (I’m still with BO-PK. I won’t leave.) I talked with Carillo and it looks like he was mistaken. He assumed I’m joining them because I signed the resolution,” he said.
Cabarrubias, an electrical engineer was out of the country when Carillo’s announcement was made. The defection made headlines as Osmeña-Rama forces in the council start positioning over the issue of SRP land sales.
Cabarrubias has been with BO-PK ever since he ran as Basak Pardo barangay captain in 1989, until he ran as city councilor in 2007.
Agenda
During a pre-session caucus by the BO-PK bloc last Tuesday, Cabarrubias casually joined the meeting and said he’s still with them.
“We just did what we usually do. We discussed the items for tomorrow’s agenda as a group,” Cabarrubias said.
Councilor and majority floor leader Margot Osmeña confirmed that Cabarrubias joined them for the caucus.
“He was there. We have no problem with that,” she said.
“I will be consulting with BO-PK on issues involving the city. But I will also make a personal decision if I don’t agree with them,” Cabarrubias said.
Joint caucus
An electrical engineer,= and consulted of IT companies, Cabarrubias has helped with IT-related concerns in City Hall including the move to go paperless in Council sessions.
The council plans to have a joint pre-session caucus before the weekly legislative session regardless of political color.
Minority floor leader Mary Ann Delos Santos welcomed the idea.
“I have no problem with that. It’s better so the session won’t have to drag on so long,” she said.
The plan has yet to be finalized, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said.