Seares: Pastor Quiboloy raised tough issues, e.g. nepotism and coddling drug dealers, in SMNI interview with Mayor Mike. But the pastor asked 'softball' questions, which didn't score journalistically but prodded the mayor to open up. Seven more takeaways from the Davao one-on-one.

PASTOR Apollo C. Quiboloy is no journalist, has had no experience in interviewing -- an art and a special skill -- but he could've thrown tough questions at Cebu City Mayor Michael L. Rama had he wanted. He didn't and the audience didn't expect him to.

In his one-on-one interview with Mayor Rama last February 4, 2023 in Davao City, Pastor Q was host to the mayor, a role he played graciously all the way to the SMNI interview room packed with supporters of the pastor's Kingdom of Jesus Christ who cheered their leader and his guest.

Praises for each other flew through most of the conversation even when the questions dwelt on subjects embarrassing to the mayor, including the long-ago issue of alleged coddling dealers of illegal drugs and the more recent complaint for nepotism in the hiring of two brothers-in-law at City Hall.

[Related: Seares: Pastor Quiboloy, Mayor Mike say they're alike, SunStar, February 6, 2023]

[1] PREPPED FOR THE INTERVIEW. It was obvious that Pastor Q was prepared. He had with him pages or cards of text -- which he didn't hide as he read -- about issues in Cebu City: from what the acronym Barug in Barug Party stands for and Mayor Mike's "21-gun salute" to the quarrel with Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia over the 2023 Sinulog venue and the furor over a complaint against his hiring of his wife's brothers.

"Biliba nako oy," the mayor expressed more than once his amazement at the extent of the research done by the pastor or his staff, which would be ordinary work if it were a professional journalist doing the interview. The preparation though is just the preliminary; the actual interview is the thing, which in this case didn't turn out the way an interview by an honest-to-goodness news anchor would've come out.

[2] FAINT TRACE OF TOUGHNESS. The banter and gentle ribbing between the religious leaders and the local government official, in a setting of mutual admiration and respect -- e.g. "You're like me a visionary, "You're my brother," "Pareha ta'g kinaiya" -- shifted in the latter part of the almost-two-hour chat to issues that would've been tough on the mayor.

When Pastor Q asked about the January 24, 2023 complaint for alleged nepotistic (or nepotic) appointments of in-laws and then President Rodrigo Duterte's August 7, 2016 call-out of Mayor Mike as "one of the country's drug protectors," many in the audience held their breath and briefly thought that some tough grilling would follow. They were wrong, of course.

[3] MIKE STICKS TO DEFENSES on nepotism and coddling of drug pushers.

To Pastor Q's mention of the complaint that he hired two brothers-in-law, the mayor said again that love and marriage shouldn't be a reason for him to remove them from government. No follow-up about the past mayor's appointment not having to do with Mike's appointment as each appointment is good only for six months and the nepotism law applies to all kinds of appointment, including renewals.

On the accusation of protecting drug dealers and, at one point, even being a drug addict, the mayor repeated his denials and felt unshackled of the charge when then President Duterte supported him as Edgardo Labella's vice mayor in 2019 and as mayor to Raymond Garcia in 2022. The stereotypical raising of arm and hand during the campaign vindicated him. And more relevantly, Mayor Mike's victory in two successive elections should symbolize more strongly his "vindication." His visit to Davao was mainly to reaffirm ties with the man who once listed him as an enemy in Duterte's "war on drugs."

"He'll be happy to see you," the pastor told Mike, "as you are my friend."

[4] 'YOU COULD BE MY LAWYER," or a line to that effect, was what Mayor Mike said when interviewer Pastor Q, taking up the nepotism complaint against the mayor, railed at the law that punishes appointing to government positions a public official's relatives. The important thing is whether they're fit for the office, the pastor said, would you rather have other people who can't do the job or are corrupt?

The pastor pushed the same argument against the law on dynasties, which the Constitution bans but Congress still has to implement. Interviewer and interviewee pitched the arguments for dynasticism: merit, experience and voice of the people who choose the public officials.

[5] PASSION FOR PUBLIC-SERVICE. Mayor Mike has been known for slogans and catchphrases. Many of those much of Cebu have heard, repeatedly ("Magtinabangay ta"), but there were some that sounded new. Such as: "NATO: No action, talk only." "Doing incessantly, uninterruptedly, unendingly right... we'll end up all right." On his love for public service: "Naa sa dugo." About that, Pastor Q asked him if has Spanish blood, the mayor said, "On the Lopez side."

There were some sayings -- trite as they may sound coming from politicians -- that the pastor said he has embraced or shared with the mayor, such as "Help make the poor more comfortable and suffer less" and "No one should be left behind." Both said they share a responsibility: Pastor Q to his "flock," Mayor Mike to his "constituency."

[6] TAPPING CEBUANO-BISAYA. Sensing that his use of Cebuano words and phrases drew enthusiastic response from the studio audience, Mayor Mike frequently tapped the language that most Davaoenos also understand and speak. He must have also noted Pastor Q tell an aide before the introduction to use Bisaya instead of Tagalog in giving highlights of the mayor's career in government.

[7] THE MATTER OF MIKE'S LEGACY. If anyone still doubts the underlying reason for all the magnitude of his government projects ("Too much on his plate") and all the rush and hurry in implementing them ("He'll do in three years what's normally done in nine"). Mayor Mike's pronouncements in last weekend's talk with Pastor Q should wipe away the doubt.

He wants to do what past mayors -- including himself, in two full terms plus an "ascended" term Labella's illness and death gave -- had failed to do.