City takes down ‘black propaganda’ streamers

CEBU, Philippines – The city government has removed the streamers that purportedly rallied in favor of Mayor Michael Rama’s preventive suspension.

City Hall has labeled the streamers “black propaganda”.

“We removed streamers… those that also pose insult to the (suspended) mayor… But actually this is not only limited to those black propaganda against Mayor Mike (Michael Rama),” said Raquel Arce, head of the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE) team.

The streamers were put up in at least four barangays – Capitol Site, Mabolo, Tejero, and Labangon – reportedly by the urban poor.

“It caught my attention so I had my monitoring team to verify and document (the hanged streamers) to confirm but not limited to streamers related to black propaganda. After gathering the information, we then proceed (in removing it),” she said.

Residents in Barangay Tejero have alleged the streamer there was put up upon the instruction of barangay councilman Garry Lao who is running for city councilor under the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) party of former mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Lao belied the reports. 

“I have nothing to deny because in the first place, I have no idea as to who is the person behind this,” he told The Freeman.

Lao was among those who lobbied against the move of the city government to demolish residential houses near the cemetery in line with its decision to convert the cemetery into a heritage park.

The banner in Tejero was hung on the wall of a house near the Doña Pepang Cemetery. Arce said the family that owns the house had the banner removed voluntarily and even assisted PROBE personnel.

Arce said they decided to retain the streamer at the barangay hall in Labangon to avoid possible untoward commotion.

She said it is possible that streamers were produced by just one source, considering they had the same text, font style, and color.

Rama himself does not discount the possibility that the streamers were put up by his political enemies.

“Things speak for themselves. (As to who are responsible on this,) need not have to be answered… If there are so many more of my allies, there are also many who are my opponents. That’s how it is, that’s politics,” he said.

“That thing is always becoming to those who are happy that I am suspended. Who are they? My opponents,” he added.

Meanwhile, Arce clarified the removal of political advertisements from public properties earlier was based on the December 24 order of Vice Mayor Edgar Labella, the current acting mayor. The order, Arce said, covered materials of both local and national candidates in the 2016 elections. —/JMO (FREEMAN)