Rama set to file libel raps against bet

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama yesterday announced that he is filing libel charges against independent councilorial candidate James Philip Tionko and other persons who are involved in maligning his name for accusing him of having ties with a suspected drug lord.

Rama said he will not hesitate to include former senator John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña as one of the respondents of the case if there is evidence he is trying to malign him and his family.

“If Sonny is involved here then we will include Sonny in the libel charges, but if he is not involved why should I include him?” said Rama, the standard bearer of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan.

Sonny, who is also running for mayor, always criticizes Rama in his campaign advertisements on air.

Tionko, a friend of the former senator, accused Rama of having close ties with suspected druglord Cristostomo Llaguno who is also running for councilor in the city’s north district.

Rama has earlier admitted that he warned the policemen who wanted to search Llaguno’s house in barangay Bambag 1 last year because they did not have a court-issued warrant. The policemen said they just wanted to run after the person who fired a gun during a raid and allegedly ran to Llaguno’s house.

Meanwhile, City officials Hall yesterday prevented the group of Tionko from protesting at the Plaza Sugbo for lack of a permit to assemble.

Tionko was accompanied by volunteers of the KBD where he is executive director. Seventeen of them in black shirts stood silently in front of City Hall. — Rene U. Borromeo and Jessica Ann R. Pareja/BRP