Osmeña: BOPK did not junk Jagmoc

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña belied reports that his political group,   Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), is junking councilor Edwin Jagmoc.

The mayor explained Jagmoc has decided not to run for another term next year, the reason why BOPK will have to seek for another possible candidate who would occupy the slot that would be vacated by the councilor.

Opposition leader Jonathan Guardo believed that BOPK has dropped Jagmoc from its slate that is why the councilor is no longer interested in seeking reelection.

Osmeña however denied this allegation, saying it is the personal decision of the councilor to quit politics when his second term ends in June 2010. The mayor, however, refused to divulge the reason of Jagmoc in coming up with the decision as it is “too personal.”

Moreover, the mayor made it clear that Guardo is not his spokesman and not the BOPK’s spokesperson to speak for him and the group.

“When did Guardo become my spokesman? I think that’s very unfair if you are treating him as the spokesman of BOPK,” Osmeña said.

Last July, Jagmoc hugged controversy when he was linked to a member of the Mayor’s Management Team (MMT), an allegation that he vehemently denied.

Speculations have come up that the said controversy is the reason why Jagmoc decided to shun from the political scene next year.

Osmeña said that the councilor may no longer need to explain his decision since he is already going out from city politics.

It was learned that BOPK lineup in the next year’s election has already been completed but the mayor doesn’t want to disclose it yet, saying they will only reveal their complete lineup on the last day of filing of the certificates of candidacy (COC).

In the previous interview, the mayor said that he intends to fill the slot that will be vacated by Jagmoc by someone from the urban poor group.

This is because the councilor, Osmeña said, came from the urban poor and the council needs a representation from them. — Elly Bolonos/WAB   (FREEMAN NEWS)