Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak III, an independent candidate for mayor of Cebu City, is calling on his rival politicians to refrain from mudslinging and present their platforms instead to the people. | screengrab from Tumulak’s FB live video (file photo)
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City mayoral candidate, incumbent Councilor David Tumulak, lamented the smear campaign his political opponents have launched against him.
Residents have been posting and complaining online of text brigades destroying the reputation of the mayoral candidate.
Two text messages have spread with the first being:
“To the people of Pardo:
What has Dave Tumulak done for Pardo?
He is a Pardohanon. He served 9 years as city councilor, switching to whatever party is in power. So what has he done for you? What did he receive for being a balimbing? Did he share his connections for the good of Pardo?”
Another text message has also surfaced just a few hours after saying:
“Did you know that Dave Tumulak was SUSPENDED by the Office of the President for abuse of authority? This is not negative propaganda. It’s simply negative performance.”
Tumulak denied the allegations in a statement to the media.
This is a screenshot of the text messages saying negative things about Councilor Dave Tumulak, who is running as mayor for Cebu City. | Contributed photo
He addressed the first propaganda saying that he only did what he felt was right to serve the public.
“Balimbing daw ko (They called me a turncoat). The best thing to do is to submit to a leader, because, a mayor represents the interest of the people. With each mayor whom I had had the opportunity to serve, I did my best to do my job as their councilor. Because It was the right thing to do.
“Kung mutrabaho ko, trabaho lang, makalimot gani ko nga politiko diay ko. Because it was never about politics. Trabaho lang ta para sa katawhan.
(If we work, then we work, I even forget that I am a politician. Because it was never about politics. We work for the people.
“My mandate to the people is to serve so that the next generation leaders will do the same,” said Tumulak.
The councilor said the smear campaign would not affect him as he knew the public would know the truth about him and his sincerity to serve.
He urged opponents to campaign cleanly and focus on their platforms instead of “mudslinging.”
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