With only his driver, Tom O. visits mountain barangays

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña

Margot Osmeña hits relief of police escorts; mayor says no to bodyguards’ suggestion

On his first day at work from a 10-day medical check-up in the United States where he was diagnosed as cancer-free, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña refused to grant media interviews, saying he still had jet lag, and headed instead to meetings in mountain barangays with only his driver as his companion.

Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, who is also the mayor’s wife, said Tomas did not mind not having any police escort with him.

Margot was referring to the recall of three police escorts of the mayor by the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas last week.

“That’s fine. It’s not part of our life anyway. Our ordinary life. It’s because he’s mayor. And he was not mayor for six years. It’s not a decoration that they took away. Now, he’s in the bukid (mountain barangays). There are people volunteering that they are making bantay. But, no, it’s okay,” Margot said.

When asked what mountain barangay Tomas was visiting, she did not elaborate, but she said that Tomas was only accompanied by his driver.

As a wife, Margot said she is concerned about the security of her husband, considering that before Tomas assumed office, there were many threats against him.

“Of course, as a wife you think about that, but it does not control our lives,” Margot said.

She also said that she felt bad personally about the relief of the Tomas’ police escorts and the way they were reassigned.

“And then yung parang gilabay na lang sila sa Bohol. Why? Because they were connected to Tommy? Luoy man sad. Not only (SPO1 Dumpit) Adonis. Labay sa Bohol. What’s that punishment? In the first place, Tommy didn’t ask for them, but because he is the mayor, he was assigned (those escorts),” she said.

She said those three were assigned to Tomas because the mayor already knew them, and since they were assigned to him before.

She said that it was okay to take them out as Tomas’ police escorts, but not to the extent of punishing them because as police officers they were just doing their job.
She said she suggested that Tomas have a bodyguard especially since some of their friends have volunteered to guard him, but the mayor refused.

When asked about the reason why the police escorts were relieved, Margot said she did not want to think about it.

“Is it punishment for Tommy? For what? Look at cancer in the face, as of now, who won? You can face anybody if you face cancer, right?” she said.

Margot said that their medical checkup was full of good news since he was declared cancer-free and he would only be required to go back to the Texas hospital after 18 months and not annually as required before.

The mayor, Margot and their son Miguel arrived in Cebu from their 10-day medical checkup in Texas last Sunday.