Rama accuses Tomas of encouraging lewd shows

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama has found one more reason for people not to vote for Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south): the former mayor allegedly endorsed a “lewd” fashion show.

“He’s supposed to be a lawmaker but instead he is a law violator. Ayaw na pili-a ninyo oy (Don’t vote for him),” Rama said during his press conference yesterday.

But Osmeña said there was no bikini show from the start.

In fact, Osmeña encouraged the public to watch the variety show during barangay or sitio fiestas so they will see its purely a variety show.

The show in Sitio Ulak, Barangay Basak Pardo was stopped by Barangay Captain Dave Tumulak, citing the “lewd” format that was supposed to have gays wearing bikinis.

When the format was changed, Tumulak allowed the show to go on.

But Osmeña said people told him Tumulak threatened to stop a disco and that was when he got irked and told the audience that he would sponsor a disco even without a permit.

“Don’t think that this is an isolated case because it’s not,” Osmeña told Sun.Star Cebu.

Osmeña said the youth group, which performs during their sorties or during fiestas, has shows three times a week with almost the same format.

He said that in some of the barangays where the officials are allied with Team Rama, the youth group is often harassed by the officials.

In Babag, the group was reportedly threatened to be stoned and there were other threats in Barangay Buot-Taup, Inayawan and Sawang Calero.

“It’s a complete variety show and they perform three times a week. How can you cover that up?” Osmeña said.

He admitted they have gay performers.

Tumulak said there was nothing political in his move and that he was merely enforcing the anti-indecency ordinance.