Sonny O quits mayoralty race | The Freeman >> The Freeman Sections >> Cebu News
CEBU, Philippines - With just over a week before the elections, former Senator and independent Cebu City mayoralty candidate John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña decided to quit the race in favor of his cousin Georgia Osmeña of Lakas-Kampi-CMD to unite the opposition against the administration’s candidate and incumbent Vice Mayor Michael Rama.
Rama criticized Sonny’s decision and told the latter not to use him as an excuse for his cowardice. “He started it, he should finish it, why use me?” Rama said.
Sonny also asked Kugi Uswag Sugbo (Kusug) mayoralty candidate Alvin Garcia to withdraw, but Garcia said, “He is asking too much. Although I respect his decision but I’m definitely not withdrawing.”
Sonny made the announcement yesterday afternoon at a press conference in Casino Español.
The reason he is withdrawing his bid is out of fear that Cebu City will be put to a great risk of facing the biggest problem on prohibited drugs if Rama, who is accused of protecting and befriending a drug lord, will be elected.
“Sa duha ka buwan nga ako naglibot-libot nganhi sa syudad, nagkampanya alang sa akong tinguha na mapiling mayor, nahimatikdan nako ang usa ka dakong problema nga nakahatag kanako og kalisang… akong dakong kahadlok mao nga mahitabo sa atong kabatan-onan og lumulupyo sa syudad sa sugbo ang dakong peligro nga maputos kita sa usa ka drug culture,” Sonny said.
“Ako nabalaka gayud niining higayuna. Dili ko gusto nga ang droga musulod sa Sugbo… tungod sa pagpanalipod ni Rama sa usa ka drug lord. I have considered what we can do to stop what’s happening. Ug mao kana nga nakigstorya ko ni Georgia Osmeña and Alvin Garcia,” he said.
Sonny met with Georgia and Garcia last Thursday night at the Marco Polo Hotel to open the idea of uniting the opposition and fielding only one common candidate for Mayor.
When Sonny proposed to support Georgia, the latter was apparently open to the idea, but Garcia only committed to talk with his party mates regarding the matter.
“This is not over yet, nanghinaot ako nga si Alvin muatras ug muhatag og higayon kang Georgia nga maoy among common candidate,” Sonny said after failing to get Alvin’s commitment to withdraw.
“I hope that Alvin and I will sacrifice our intention to serve people as mayor of Cebu City for the candidacy of Georgia and we appeal sa iyang igsuon na si Mayor Tommy Osmeña nga dili niya paluyuhan si Mike kay si Mike Rama nakita naman nako nga iyang gipanalipdan ang raid sa kapulisan sa kani niang balay ni Tata Negro,” Sonny said.
But Garcia apparently has already made up his mind and decided not to quit, because he thinks he can do better than any other candidates.
Georgia, in a phone interview, told The FREEMAN that she was very happy with Sonny’s decision and noted that this is a historical event since never in the history of politics in Cebu had an Osmeña withdrawn in favor of another Osmeña.
“Of course I’m very happy because it shows that we can agree in certain issues. We share the same advocacy anyway. We both do not want Mike Rama to be the mayor,” she said.
Georgia said she will not ask her brother to support her, but said she is hoping that the issues about Rama will serve as an eye opener to Tomas.
“It would be nice to help me. Blood is thicker than water anyway. I just could not imagine who will support somebody who is supposed to be close to a drug lord. It’s an eye opener to everyone. I wish Tommy will open his eyes,” she said.
On his part, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said that it does not matter if Sonny withdraws or not.
“He would have lost anyway. He did not want to undergo the humiliation,” Tomas said.
In response to Sonny’s appeal to drop Rama over his sister Georgia, Tomas said in a text message, “To Mike Rama, it’s nobody but nobody but you.”
Rama also made an appeal to Sonny not to pursue his decision to quit, because it will create a bad image of him to the Cebuanos.
“No he should not. I am appealing that he should not. So they would know where he stands. What kind of candidate he is, duwa-duwaan ra ang mga tawo? I wish that he will consider. He should realize that there is no point in pursing this,” Rama said.
In reaction to the reason why Sonny is withdrawing, “Wala jud lami nga rason, it is illogical, it doesn’t follow. What for martyrdom? Please don’t make me as an excuse,” he added.
Former Election Officer for Cebu City North District lawyer Marchel Sarno, who has recently been reassigned to Mandaue City, said that Sonny will have to file for a certificate of withdrawal subject to approval of the Commission on Elections en banc.
Yet, even if the withdrawal will be approved, Sonny’s name could no longer be deleted from the official ballot, which would mean that all votes for him in the May 10 elections will be considered invalid.
Sonny and Georgia said that they will start focusing on a massive awareness campaign to inform all supporters of Sonny to vote Georgia instead.
Sonny will be willing to fund radio and TV advertisements to inform the public of this recent development.
He has not formally withdrawn yet, but he said he will file his certificate of withdrawal on Tuesday since Monday has been declared a holiday. —/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)
Sonny O quits mayoralty race
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