Osmeña on Cutie’s shift of alliance: Mary Ann is a better choice

A photo collage of Rep. Cutie del Mar and former mayor Tomas Osmeña and Councilor Mary Ann Delos Santos. | CDN File photos

CEBU CITY, Philippines — As 1Cebu party endorses Rep. Rachel Marguerite “Cutie” Del Mar of Cebu City North District in their lineup for congressional candidates, former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña had something to say.

Del Mar won in the 2022 elections under the banner of Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) when she ran as Cebu City’s north district representative.

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Osmeña tells lawmakers at House probe: Garma on payola

1Cebu endorses Cutie del Mar for Cebu City north district Rep.

Early this year, suspended Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama endorsed Del Mar for north district representative under his Partido Barug Team Rama.

But Rama later on withdrew his endorsement after Del Mar supported the People’s Initiative (PI) to amend the 1987 Constitution.

The BOPK’s bet for the North District is Councilor Mary Ann Delos Santos, which was revealed by BOPK’s mayoral bet Councilor Nestor Archival earlier this year.

Delos Santos’ candidacy was also backed by BOPK’s founder, Osmeña, saying that she is “a better choice.”

“Mary Ann is [a] better choice. Cebu does not deserve an absentee congressman. Cutie is not like her father Raul. Any more than Garma is a woman,” Osmeña said in a text message to CDN Digital.

READ MORE: Garma ordered PCSO exec’s killing, narc tells House

Osmeña was referring to then Police Colonel Royina Garma, former Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager, who was summoned by the House of Representatives to testify regarding the alleged extra-judicial killings of three convicted Chinese drug lords in 2016 which was during Osmeña’s administration. 

Consequently, Osmeña was invited by the House to provide insights of the EJKs. 

Based on the document he read at the House committee hearing on September 19, Osmeña also claimed that when Garma was the head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), she allegedly collected P1 million per week as “payola” for illegal gambling activities.

He also said that Garma’s former alleged lover, a certain “SPO4 Art,” allegedly served as her “bagman.”

As for Del Mar’s late father, Raul, he was also a representative of Cebu City’s north district during his time, and was a member of BOPK.

On Monday at the 1Cebu Convention, Rep. “Cutie” Del Mar was seen together with the members of acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia’s Kusug party.

There was no official statement yet from Rep. “Cutie” Del Mar, but Garcia, who answered on Del Mar’s behalf, said it is “pretty obvious and clear” that Kusug would be bringing (Rep. “Cutie”) Del Mar as the North District representative.

Garcia said his final slate would be announced not later than October 8 which would be the last day of the filing of the Certificates of Candidacies (COCs).