ELECTION ROUNDUP

RAMA CAN SPEAK IN GATHERINGS—COMELEC

WHILE every candidate is allowed to speak in public gatherings, they can only do so if the organizers agree to it.

Ferdinand Gujilde, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Cebu City-south district officer, said Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama isn't prohibited to give speeches in events like the Barangay Councilor's League of the Philippines' (BCLP) general assembly. “As incumbent mayor, he has every right to talk to the incumbent councilors also. But it depends on the discretion of the organizers who have a program to follow. So it's really between the organizers and guests,” he said.

Rama reportedly became irate after he was not allowed to speak during the assembly last Sunday at the SM Trade Hall 3.

Franklyn Ong, national president of BCLP, said the BCLP board agreed to invite all incumbent officials as a courtesy, but no speeches were allowed because of the election campaign season.

Other city officials who attended the assembly were Councilors Nida Cabrera, Sisinio Andales, Noel Wenceslao, Alvin Arcilla, Leah Japson and Michael Ralota of the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK).

Ong was spotted wearing a BO-PK baller band.

The BCLP bowling tournament and general assembly was funded by the pork barrel funds of Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City's south district.

“The BCLP was using government funds for their activity so it wasn't advisable for Rama to campaign,” Gujilde said. /Correspondent Jose Santino S. Bunachita