MORE than 50 village chiefs in Cebu City went to the White Gold restaurant on Wednesday, May 1, to show their support for two senatorial candidates supported by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Labangon Barangay Captain Victor Buendia, board member of the League of Barangays in the Philippines, organized the event for former special assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and retired police director general Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

Both candidates, however, failed to attend the event, as they were in other important gatherings.

Buendia said he will hold another event and promised that 80 barangay officials would attend. They will sign a manifesto of their support for Go and dela Rosa.

The village officials allied with Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) and Barug PDP-Laban supported the senatorial candidates, saying they are against the proliferation of illegal drugs in the city.

Buendia said he failed to notify the barangay captains in the mountain villages because he had no time to do so.

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who is running for mayor under Barug PDP-Laban, endorses Go and dela Rosa.

His rival, reelectionist Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who is seeking a fresh term, supports Go, along with senatorial candidates Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, Sonny Angara and his brother Serge Osmeña.

Buendia said they excluded local candidates and officials from the activity as this was purely for village chiefs.

Cebu City has more than 700,000 voters in 80 villages in the north and south districts. (From PAC of SuperBalita Cebu, KAL)