EDITORIAL - There's a new BOPK catch

The administration of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has welcomed another opposition city councilor to its turf. Yesterday, the mayor and the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan held a press conference flaunting their new recruit: north district Councilor Jerry Guardo.

Guardo's sudden transfer of allegiance to the BOPK stemmed from his suspension which he claimed was caused by a partymate in Team Rama. He said he was hurt and felt betrayed that his partymate was behind the move by the Ombudsman to suspend him for three months for simple neglect of duty.

He was referring to Sambag 1 Barangay Captain Lemar Alcover who was his political rival during his stint as barangay captain. Guardo accused Alcover of making follow-ups with the Ombudsman on the case the latter filed against the city councilor.

Guardo's switching of political parties has brought another blow to Team Rama, whose members are now the council minority. Months following last year's elections, councilors Dave Tumulak and Nendell Hanz Abella bolted Team Rama initially to form an independent bloc at the council. But they eventually joined the BOPK.

Now, we can already see BOPK's dominance of the council, whose future decisions will now be expected to favor the executive department. As he now holds the majority number, we can expect Mayor Osmeña's programs and proposals to easily cruise at the legislative branch. There will no longer be heated debates.          

As Guardo's shift of allegiance spells the end of Team Rama's dominance of the council, many see his transfer to BOPK will certainly not be the last. If Team Rama's leadership will do nothing to stop this massive bleeding, we can expect more of its members to shift to the other party or leave to be independent.

Team Rama's image seriously took a hit when President Duterte accused its leader, former mayor Michael Rama, of being a drug protector. And for some of its members, leaving the party will now certainly be a matter of political survival.