Rama to stick with LP despite ‘misgivings’

DON’T second-guess me.

This was Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s reaction to a newspaper column (not in Sun.Star Cebu) that detailed his impending exit from the Liberal Party (LP).

The mayor admitted, though, that there were instances when he was not happy or did not agree with the party.

“I’ve never said (I’m leaving the party) and whoever made that conclusion, eat your heart out! Exactly I am a member of the Liberal Party because I have the liberty to speak my mind out,” he said in his regular press conference yesterday.

Beef against Robredo

Rama answered three indicators mentioned in the column.

One was his criticism of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo, who happens to be the LP executive vice president, regarding a 2011 order that affected the designation of Cebu City Fire Marshal Aderson Comar.

Rama said he was not happy with Robredo for several reasons.

Aside from the Comar issue, Rama said the DILG did not address the City’s need of fire trucks.

He also said he was interested in running for president of the League of Cities in the Philippines but LP bigwigs had already decided on someone else.

In the few times that Robredo was in Cebu, he met with Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district) and not with Rama.

No political color

The mayor also said his friendship with Vice President Jejomar Binay and Gov. Gwen Garcia should not be given a political meaning.

The issue was that every time Binay visits Cebu, Rama is always beside him. The mayor, though, was nowhere in sight when President Benigno Aquino III and Transportation and Communication Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II visited Danao City over the weekend.
Osmeña was.

Rama said Binay is vice president, adding that if LP bigwigs have an event in Cebu City, he will accommodate them.

Besides, he said, Binay is helping the City solve the 93-1 issue, involving Cebu City residents living on provincial lots.

Binay will be in Cebu again on July 20 for the governor’s State of the Province Address.

Rama also defied the party line on the impeachment of former Supreme Court chief justice Renato Corona. He said he was not convinced Corona should have been impeached based on the closing arguments.