‘Tell the truth or I’ll sue you’- Rama
Mayor Michael Rama
Mayor Michael Rama’s anger yesterday wasn’t just directed at the Cebu City Council.
He was irked over newspaper reports about the changes being made in the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC). He threatened to sue.
Rama confronted reporters at his press conference:
“I want to be very clear. Who’s talking about these people are not there. And it’s about CCMC. Who? I want you to know otherwise why would I be calling a presscon when you’re telling lies? Come on, speak out so you can correct,” he said.
Rama singled out CDN reporter Santino Bunachita and another reporter of the Freeman.
Rama’s recent order for a new BAC for Infrastructure no longer carried the names of former chairman Jose Marie Poblete and Councilor Delos Santos, a fact reported in news stories and commented on by Cebu Daily News in its Feb. 12 editorial “Don’t let the rats in.”
An upset Rama said a special BAC he wants created for the hospital project was still under review. He didn’t mention yesterday whether Poblete or Delos Santos were being considered.
(Cebu Daily News stands by its reporter’s factual reporting and its editorial expressing alarm over the exclusion of “firm voices who exposed a near-winning bidder” in the old BAC. Mayor Rama as a public official and a lawyer is well aware of the bounds of public discourse on matters of public interest. CDN journalists will continue to do their job as watchdogs.- Editor in Chief/Publisher)
Rama called on reporters to “tell the truth.”
“Is that correct? I don’t want to attack a newspaper because I still believe in the Freeman. I wish I can believe in CDN. And I always believe SunStar. Don’t keep on telling me (it’s the fault of the) editor. Come on, what role do you have?” As City Hall reporters listened to the tirade, the mayor lamented “Then it’s useless facing all of you when you’re not responsible.”
The mayor also threatened to shut out certain media members from his news conferences.
“But I will warn you, enough of wrong writing. I will repeat, enough of wrong writing. Otherwise, I will be bent on choosing who I should bring it to. I don’t mind if I will not end up in any of the newspaper for as long as I will not also be hit and statements (are) being put in there erroneously,” Rama said.
He turned to the City Legal Officer and asked if a lawsuit can be filed.
“Is there a case that I can file against a newspaper? Can I? Including the writer? Is there? Can you study, please?”
The mayor said he asked the Public Information Office to record the press conferences “so we can compare who’s telling lies, who’s telling the truth.”
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