FOR admitting there are Cebu City Hall employees who spoke in campaign events, opposition candidate Jonathan Guardo wants to get Vice Mayor Michael Rama as a witness in the case he will file against the mayor next week.
Guardo said that Rama’s admission bolsters his allegations against Mayor Tomas Osmeña and strengthens his case for violations of the Fair Elections Act against Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) candidates and the concerned employees.
Rama yesterday morning barred all city officials and employees who are not candidates from speaking during campaign activities, but said he can’t stop them from attending their sorties.
The mayoral candidate confirmed that two of the five people whom Guardo identified as those who attended and spoke during their “pulong-pulong” are detailed in his office.
In a phone interview, Guardo said the admission resulted in a conflict between Rama and Osmeña, and the latter allegedly berated the vice mayor for admitting to reporters that he saw some government employees speaking during their sorties.
Rama and Osmeña denied that a conflict arose. Rama also denied being admonished by the mayor.
“Never spoke to Mike today, not one word. Another fabrication, as usual. Atan, in his desperation, is imagining conversations,” the mayor said in a text message last night.
Guardo of the opposition Kugi Uswag Sugbo (Kusug) and the BOPK’s Osmeña will face each other in the south district congressional race next month.
He said his next target are BOPK’s poster staff, who he alleged are job-order employees of the city for the South Road Properties (SRP).
In a press conference at the Rajah Park Hotel yesterday, Rama appealed to City Hall employees to resign from their position if they intend to actively campaign by speaking before voters.
“But if they are going to be there and are just standing, are they liable? No, because everyone has a right to listen. I just want to make it clear that I have not been remiss in my duty to remind them about the rules. I also never instructed them to speak in my behalf,” said Rama.
Last Tuesday, Rama told reporters he saw some City employees speaking during their “pulong-pulong” in the barangays, but these were “in passing.”
Rama reiterated this yesterday during the press conference.
The Human Resources Development Office’s records showed those identified by Guardo are still employed by the City, although Department of Social Welfare Services department head Cathy Yso is on leave from April 12 to 16.
Dennis Jabonero, Eduardo Cabras and Vicente Dejoras Jr. are registered as casual employees, and are detailed at the vice mayor’s office.
Sun.Star Cebu tried to interview them yesterday but they were not at City Hall.
Interviewed separately, Osmeña denied that City Hall employees are being tapped for campaign sorties.
Osmeña said that Yso, who is on leave, does not even come to his “pulong-pulong.”
The mayor said the party has a resigned casual employee who looks like Yso and is very articulate.
“They’re accusing me of using City Hall employees? Let them file their case. That’s good, because we want to cross-examine their witnesses,” Osmeña said.
He admitted he has his secretaries, who are also City Hall employees, who come along during his campaign sorties. But they only take notes and do not campaign, he added.
He also said he never uses City Hall vehicles in his campaign. (LCR/With ETB)