HE WANTS EDU. The earlier talk that there might be a three-cornered fight in Cebu City in 2019 -- with former mayor Mike Rama running again for mayor, thus splitting Team Rama -- is being revised by those running the rumor mill.
Mike, the new version says, would take the sidelines and not run for mayor if his nephew, Councilor Edu, would be Vice Mayor Edgar Labella’s running mate, thus a Labella-Rama team.
The problem is that Labella’s backers outside Team Rama reportedly favor someone else over Edu, Kenneth Cobonpue, the internationally famous Cebuano industrial designer. Cobonpue was earlier groomed for mayor but initial public reaction reportedly was lukewarm, which led to the change of plan.
Who’d blink? If Mike would insist on Edu or else Mike himself would run -- and Labella would run, the three-cornered match could happen. And Team Rama might as well drop “Barug” from its name.
Whom to blame
ALL UP TO MIKE. While the threat would seem to come from the possible feud over the vice mayor slot, the source ultimately would be Mike himself.
He could be using the bargaining chip to put himself in the running. He must run for mayor (or congressman, not for vice mayor or councilor) or he’d be only pitching for Team Rama bets and not for himself.
And Edu should be asked what he thinks as bargaining pawn.
That ‘soul’ thing
REGAINING IT. What’s in the “soul” of a country that attracts even politicians and other leaders to its use?
Earlier, a Rappler article about 2018 being the LP’s “fight for the nation’s soul” drew a retort from Sen. Win Gachalian: the Philippines “lost its soul in the last six years” (when LP’s Noynoy Aquino was president).
Lust for power
TRASLACION. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle’s homily at the Traslacion mass Tuesday at the Quirino Grandstand included this searing message: “Live not lusting for power and you will become a person who is truly alive.” Among those present was PNP chief Bato de la Rosa who’s been “salivating,” a netizen says, over a Senate seat in 2019 elections.
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