Did the 20 barangay captains who were present for Councilor Edgar Labella鈥檚 announcement at his office visited voluntarily or were they invited?
A staffer of the mayor鈥檚 office said they called up the barangay captains and invited them to hear Labella鈥檚 announcement.
Councilor Jose Daluz III said he also invited some south barangay captains to disprove criticisms that Labella doesn鈥檛 have the support of south district barangay officials.
Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said one of the barangay officials who went to Labella鈥檚 office told him that they came from a seminar workshop in Danao City and were ferried to Labella鈥檚 office.
Mountain barangay captains were in Danao City since Monday for a hilly land seminar workshop.
Young said he was told that Agsungot barangay captain Pastor Alcover II led them to Labella鈥檚 office.
Young said Alcover was among those invited by Rama to join his north district councilors slate.
Leaving BO-PK
Aside from Alcover, also present during Labella鈥檚 announcement were south district barangay captains Lorna Damalerio of Sapangdaku, Rita Sabal of Babag, Dante Tabucal of Sudlon I and Ronaldo Labitad of Pamutan.
Other south district barangay captains were Lucresia Gabatu of Tabunan, Rosalita Calleno of Buot Taup, Roger Ressurreccion of Suba, Jose Navarro of Punta Princesa, Rustico Ignaio of Inayawan, Benjamine Zabate of Sawang Calero.
They were joined by barangay captains Dave Tumulak of Basak Pardo, Rudlfo Estella of Mambaling, George Rama of Basak San Nicolas and Victor Buendia of聽 Labangon.
Barangay captains from the north district that were present were Elvis Narra of聽 Adlaon, Ramil Ayuman of Apas, Leonilo Bontillao of Pit-os, Nerrisa Antolihao of聽 Budlaan and Maria Velasquez of Pulang Bato.
Rama allies like businessman Rene Mercado and the mayor鈥檚 consultant lawyer. Jade Ponce were in attendance.
鈥淚 am now officially leaving BO-PK at this time. Goodbye,鈥� said Busay barangay captain Eleudoro Sanchez.
But the other barangay captains said they were still undecided on whom to support for mayor.
BO-PK talent
Young said the BO-PK was confident that only Councilors Labella, Daluz and Richard Cuenco left their ranks.
He said talks of Councilor Leah Japson leaving BO-PK is unlikely to happen.
鈥淪he (Japson) has shown where her loyalty is in big ways,鈥� said Young.
The vice mayor said he takes pride in the thought that Rama is getting candidates from BO-PK, an indication that their group is full of talents.
鈥淭he opposition always have to get (candidates) from us to get a good candidate.聽 That is something to be proud about,鈥� the vice mayor said.
Young said the presence of the 20 barangay captains in Labella鈥檚 office doesn鈥檛 bother him at all.
Young said Navarro has always been a member of the opposition group.
Arante boys
He said Sanchez already left BO-PK after he ran and lost against BO-PK鈥檚 bet Michael Rallota during the 2010 Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) elections.
Young said some other barangay captains were among the 鈥淎rante boys,鈥� a group of south district barangay captains whom Representative Osme帽a accused of implementing聽 鈥渟ubstandard鈥� projects by Arante Construction. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 lose anyone,鈥� he said.
Ayuman said he was supporting the Rama-Labella tandem because he supports the Cuidad Banilad-Talamban corridor project, which Osme帽a and the other BO-PK allies opposed since it was spearheaded by the Capitol.
鈥淏ut I keep my respect for the (BO-PK) councilors,鈥� Ayuman said.
Sanchez said he supports Rama because the mayor鈥檚 brand of politics isn鈥檛 vindictive and allows for participation.
Sanchez said many of the city鈥檚 barangay captains are also comfortable with Rama 鈥渂ecause he doesn鈥檛 get angry easily.鈥�
When asked if more barangay captains will join the mayor Sanchez said 鈥渢here will be surprises later on.鈥� Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac