BOPK’s Pe, Ralota ‘behind bribery’

TWO Cebu City councilors allied with Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) allegedly asked one Marietta delos Santos to run for city councilor in exchange for P200,000, to sabotage the candidacy of Team Rama’s Mary Ann de los Santos.

To confuse voters in the north district, City Councilors Michael Ralota and Augustus Pe Jr. allegedly approached Marietta, a resident of Barangay T. Padilla, and asked her to run for city councilor in the north.

Jun Cugay, aide of BOPK leader Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district), was reportedly with Ralota and Pe when the offer of P200,000 was made in a hotel.

Marietta, 42, went to the Rama family’s compound in Barangay Basak San Nicolas yesterday morning, around the same time Mayor Michael Rama announced Team Rama’s alliance with the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

In front of Team Rama candidates, she narrated how she was offered to run for councilor.

She was brought by T. Padilla Barangay Councilor Ian Jasamal, a relative of Rama.

Marietta said that Ralota, the barangay captain of T. Padilla and president of the Association of Barangay Councils, met with her last Oct. 2.

She was then brought by Ralota to a hotel on Gorordo Ave. and was interviewed by Cugay.

Ralota asked her if she was related to Mary Ann and she answered that she was. He then asked her to file a COC in exchange for P200,000, Marietta said.

“Ana ko, dili ko mosugot. Dili ko modawat ana kay dili nako ibaylo ang sweldo sa akong pares bisan gamay lang (I told them that I will not accept their offer because I will not trade my partner’s income even if it’s meager),” she said.

Marietta, who is originally from Medellin, said her husband works in Mandaue City.

In an interview yesterday, Ralota denied bribing Marietta just to sabotage the candidacy of Lahug Barangay Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos.

Ralota said he was not capable of doing what was accused of him.

Ralota said he met and talked with Marietta last Oct. 2 but that was only to ask her if she was willing to be the leader of the barangay’s women’s group.

Pe, who is running for councilor in the south district, also denied having talked to Marietta. He said he doesn’t personally know her.

He said he doesn’t have P200,000 to give away to Marietta and that he would rather spend it on the south district.

When she learned about the alleged offer yesterday, Mary Ann hit members of the BOPK.
“This is a blatant display of the kind of behavior and the kind of person they are, and maybe the kind of party they are,” she said.

“I am warning everyone. To all those who have the same family name as mine, I hope you will not allow others to use you and tempt you with money to run just so they can ruin a candidate,” she said.

Mary Ann sees herself as a threat to the BOPK.

Also yesterday, Rama formally announced Team Rama’s alliance with UNA, a coalition formed by the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan of Vice President Jejomar Binay and Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino of former president Joseph Estrada.

The mayor said Team Rama’s certificate of nomination and acceptance was given to them two days ago.

As Team Rama joined UNA, the group’s south district congressional candidate, lawyer Aristotle Batuhan, said he is leaving the Liberal Party (LP).

He said their group will support the senatorial candidates of UNA in the May 13, 2013 elections.

Batuhan clarified that Team Rama’s adoption of UNA is “an unconditional adoption.”

Team Rama is scheduled to file their COC today. Before that, they will hear mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral at 8 a.m.

BOPK is also scheduled to file their COCs this afternoon.