DID the Ombudsman inquiry on complaints against barangay captains -- who were accused of carnapping after they delayed the return of the vehicles assigned to their LGUs -- include the ownership of those properties?
City Hall funds were used to buy the vehicles but didn’t ownership pass when the barangays accepted them? COA rules, a source says, require a specific donee to which the vehicle goes. If that’s true, the barangay chiefs couldn’t be stealing what already belong to them.
Mayor or any other post
Former Cebu City mayor Mike Rama is not ruling out, for now, any option on which elective office to run for in the next elections.
He said a lot of positions have been speculated on by political watchers: from congressman to barangay captain, from vice mayor to mayor. It could be any of those posts. What seems clear is that he’s running; he’s not about to hang his gloves.
Mike, though, didn’t tell Atty. Frank Malilong on dyCM’s “Frankahay Ta” yesterday, as to who’d decide for him. Apparently Mike, whose political party bears his family name, would. He didn’t even talk of a caucus or consultation among his leaders.
Instead, he listed the factors that would influence his decision, topped, Mike said, by “winnability.” Could he win with the label “Drug Protector” branded on his forehead by President Duterte?
He tossed back the question to Atty. Frank, Atty. Ellie Espinoza and Titus Borromeo: Do you believe the smear on my name?
They told Mike they don’t but it doesn’t mean, of course, that Cebu City voters share the broadcasters’ opinion.
Arguments for press tour
How’s that again? Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, in reply to a question that his plan to hold press conferences in the provinces is part of his preparation for the senatorial election in 2019, gave two answers:
“It’s not yet the election period.” A senatorial bet needs household recognition of his name across the country. He doesn’t do that during the election period, which often is too late. Movie actors and boxing champions are already recognized by voters before they join the race. Roque lost in his previous bid because voters didn’t know him well enough.
“If the people don’t want it, then I won’t go to the provinces.” Does he mean his boss? Very unlikely that the President will stop him. If he means the people in the provinces, of course, they’ll appreciate that.
TELL US ABOUT IT.
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