CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said that the failure of organizers of a recent meeting of President Rodrigo Duterte with local chief executives in Cebu is an insult to the people of the city.
In his news conference yesterday, Osmeña confirmed that he was not invited to the meeting last Saturday but organizers should have shown courtesy to him as mayor of the city.
“It only demonstrates that (Presidential Assistant for the Visayas) Michael Dino has no respect for the people of Cebu. That’s basic protocol, you’re coming here, you’re inviting all the mayors, you don’t invite the governor because you don’t like the mayor,” he said.
“Me, I can take that, that’s normal, but I’d like to report to the Cebuanos. This one shows disrespect for the people of Cebu. That’s an insult to the people,” he added.
Osmeña, Ronda Mayor Mariano Blanco and Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot were not among those who were invited to last Saturday’s meeting.
It was Dino’s office that prepared the guest list.
Osmeña clarified that he did not go to the venue to join the meeting but that someone from the Davao group who joined the gathering wanted to see him.
“They’re trying to make it appear I was barred. They don’t realize they’re just exposing themselves for who they are,” he said. (RVC)