Members of the Rama clan in Cebu expressed anger yesterday over allegations that Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama, who is running for mayor, is a coddler of a drug lord.
Rama clan members, in a press conference yesterday, defended the administration mayoral candidate and said the allegations made by Cebu City candidate for councilor James Philip “Jimboy” Tionko were orchestrated by independent Cebu City mayoral candidate John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña.
Tionko was a former aide of Osmeña, a former senator, and is running under his ticket.
Osmeña, however, announced yesterday his withdrawal from the mayoral race and endorsed another opposition candidate, Georgia Osmeña.
During the press conference yesterday, Leila Rama, the elder sister of the vice mayor, broke into tears over the black propaganda being thrown at her brother.
“Enough is enough. Because of the allegations against my brother, I don’t even bother to watch the television just to see the news, as I’ll just hear more allegations against Mike,” said Leila.
Former Cebu vice governor Enrique Rama, who is the cousin of the vice mayor, said he was very disappointed with Tionko, whom he considers a close friend.
The former vice governor also lamented the former senator’s attacks against the vice mayor.
He said before the 1987 elections, Osmeña sought the help of the vice mayor’s brother, Eduardo, who was then the governor of Agusan Del Norte, in his senatorial bid.
“I even remembered Sonny asking Eddie permission to campaign in their area, but was told by our cousin to not even worry in campaigning as he was popular there,” the former vice governor said.
Osmeña won in the said election.
“It seems that Sonny has forgotten that the Ramas have been helpful to him in the past,” the former vice governor said.
Boboy Rama, another cousin of the vice mayor, accused Osmeña of sending his son, former Cebu vice governor John Gregory “John-john” Osmeña, to the United States after he was involved in the importation of a shabu precursor.
“Where is (Sonny’s) son now?” said Boboy.
Media personality Ricky Rama Poca also commented that while they can tolerate other types of criticisms against his cousin, Tionko’s allegations were already too much.
“If he is making such allegations, what’s his basis?” said Poca.
He added the allegations made by Tionko were beyond politics, as their family has been dragged into the limelight
On Tionko’s call to ask Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to be a witness against the vice mayor in the alleged coddling of a drug lord, Poca said the mayor has admitted his statement against the vice mayor was only a lapse of judgment on his part.
But Poca said the recent black propaganda against his cousin has instead increased the vice mayor’s chances in winning the mayoral race.
“It only shows that the black propaganda against Mike has helped him in his campaign as people are seeing through the dirt and the grime behind the issues,” said Poca.
Poca added that he was glad the vice mayor filed a libel case against Tionko, as the court will decide who is telling the truth.
Asked if they can forgive Tionko and the mayor on what they did to their relative, Atty. Dario Rama, the clan’s lawyer, said they might as well forgive them.
“We’ll have to follow the Bible. If we can’t forgive them on Earth, then we can’t be forgiven in Heaven,” he said.