Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos at the Lahug barangay hall where she announced her transfer to the BO-PK on Aug. 21.
by Tomas R. Osmeña, Former Cebu City congressman and mayor
It’s already been more than five days and the Rama propaganda machine in traditional media is still in full attack mode against Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos.
Columns, editorials, blind items, radio— everyone is trying his or her hardest to bash her. In Sun.Star, someone even called her a “prostitute.”
Let’s talk about what a prostitute is. Doesn’t a prostitute get paid? In that case, who has the money?
Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) has paid and is paying Mary Ann nothing. When Margot and I first spoke to Mary Ann about joining us here at BO-PK, the thing that stood out to me the most was that she had no conditions at all. She just wanted to talk about what we wanted for Cebu City and of course what our respective leaders would think.
The Rama attack dogs are also saying that I’m blackmailing her into joining BO-PK by using the issue of the Cebu City Medical Center scrap.
First of all, in all my years as mayor, I could never threaten Mary Ann with anything. The people of Lahug know this. But now, when I’m currently out of office, I am so powerful that I can threaten her into leaving the incumbent mayor? How stupid do they think the Cebuanos are?
The council already passed a resolution calling for an investigation into the missing scrap iron of the CCMC, but the council is not the investigating body. It is the executive’s job to act on the resolution. So ask the mayor why he hasn’t done anything yet.
Besides, do you think a whole fleet of trucks can enter CCMC to collect the scrap iron without the mayor’s knowledge?
What about the City Center in Sanciangko Street? Mike Rama had everyone there evicted, and he demolished the building. The scrap from that building is missing as well. Is that Mary Ann’s fault too? Why hasn’t Mike looked into this? Does he have something to hide?
Why has the traditional media been silent on this?
Until now, Mary Ann and I are always on opposing sides. What this means is that unlike Mike, at least there was never any betrayal.
I expect no loyalty from Mary Ann to me, because I never demanded personal loyalty from anyone. When someone joins BO-PK, no one asks him or her to raise his or her right hand and swear allegiance to BO-PK, myself, or anything else.
Loyalty should be to the people we serve, not the people we “serve” with.
To this day, Mary Ann has made no demands. This is why I have no doubt in her sincerity, and this is why I am proud that she is part of our family.
I wrote this post for one reason: to personally assure the people of Lahug that we will always take care of your beloved “Kap” here in BO-PK, and that we will not abandon her.
Mary Ann is her own person; anybody who knows her can attest to that. I am happy she is with us, and I hope you’ll see the difference that we in the BO-PK family will make together.
Together, we definitely WILL make things happen!