“HAS-BEEN” mayor Michael Rama said that “ambition and obsession” can kill the alliance with Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella. This, after Labella issued a statement that he is open to the possibility of running for mayor in 2019. Labella has been appointed by the administration party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban), as the city chapter chairman. The party is grooming him to be its mayoral candidate.
Rama said that “ambition and obsession,” if abated and curbed, will always be no worry for division. What is Rama trying to insinuate, that Labella is too ambitious to become a mayor? Everybody has their own dreams, aspirations and ambitions. It’s not a crime to aspire for something, even if it’s too high to achieve or the so-called “impossible dream.” Sa Tagalog pa, “libre ang mangarap.”
Even I, if there is an opportunity, I would have to grab it. I think this is an opportunity for Labella because he is being recruited by the administration party with the promise of full support in the event he will decide to run. His benefactors like the presidential assistant for the Visayas and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez are all in power. Yes, it’s still one year and half before the elections but it’s now the proper time for Labella to prepare and expose himself to the voters.
If Mike is insinuating that Labella is too ambitious and obsessed in the mayorship, let’s have a “throwback” of Mike’s political career. He was a human resource development manager of Coaco. He joined politics as one of the stalwarts of Bando Omena Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK). He may or may not admit it, but the “former political has-been” was his mentor in politics. But now they are political arch-rivals.
After serving for several terms as councilor, he ran for vice mayor, still under BOPK. And finally he ran for mayor.
So what drove him to run for vice mayor and finally for mayor? Was it because of his ambition and obsession to become the top manager of the city and to follow the political path of his grandfather, Don Vicente Rama Sr.?
What made him “jump ship” from BOPK and form his own political party, Team Rama, and decide to engage his mentor head on? Why is he still insisting on running next year when he has extra baggage to carry after he was named a drug protector by President Duterte? Was it because of his ambition and obsession, too? Oh come on, Mike, let us not be hypocrites.
The breakup of their alliance with Labella is inevitable with the recent development. The vice mayor is now with a national party, although he remains with Team Rama as his local party. As what I have said, he will be the official candidate of the administration party. If I were Labella, why should I still coalesce with Team Rama when the titular head of the party is not welcome and acceptable to the PDP-Laban? I will sever my ties with Team Rama.
Had Mike not been named by Duterte as a drug protector and recruited by PDP-Laban will he not accept it? Tulin pa na si Mike molayat ngadto sa PDP-Laban. Majority of Team Rama supporters, especially the barangay captains, are inclined to support Labella. If Mike listens to the sentiments of the group, he should set aside his ambition and obsession to regain the control of City Hall. Think about it, Mr. Rama.
Well, there is no law that prohibits you from running. You are not a convicted person. But if your intention is to dismantle the political empire of this arrogant, vindictive and dictatorial political animal and free Cebuanos from the bondage of tyranny, you cannot win. Believe me. Remember the saying, “united we stand, divided we fall?” One has to make a sacrifice and that’s you, Mr. Rama.