The Cebu City Council Secretariat reported on May 3, 2026, that a resignation by Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña would lead to the ascension of majority-bloc Councilor Winston Pepito to the vacated post, potentially wresting top leadership from the BOPK party in the Cebu City Council.
Current BOPK Control
The 2025-2028 administration at Cebu City Hall is controlled by BOPK, with Mayor Nestor Archival heading the executive department and Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña leading the legislative department. Although the majority bloc—an alliance of Raymond Alvin Garcia's Kusug and Mike Rama's Baru—dominates the vote, the vice mayor wields significant influence as department head and presiding officer, setting the agenda and breaking ties.
The Deal-Breaker
BOPK would lose its power base in the local legislature if Osmeña resigns. The majority bloc could facilitate this by having two committees approve and recommend the acceptance of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project terms that Osmeña opposes. These terms include using land in South Road Properties for BRT stations and terminals and keeping the "mall to mall" route, which deviates from Osmeña's original plan.
Majority Bloc Strategy
The majority bloc may call Osmeña's bluff by approving the conditions he has opposed, as it controls the vote in both committees and the plenary session.
Succession Plan
As the No. 1-ranked councilor, Winston Pepito would assume the vacated post, not Dave Tumulak, who received over 14,000 more votes but had a lower percentage relative to his district's voter count. Pepito belongs to Partido Kusug, which ran under the Kusug/Partido Federal ng Pilipinas banner in the last election and is part of the majority alliance.
Possible Reversal
Osmeña told the City Council he would resign "immediately" if the committees approved the BRT terms as is. However, he could avoid a leadership change by simply changing his mind and not resigning, depending on public sentiment.
In a separate development, the National Bureau of Investigation was involved in an arrest warrant trickery case. Vlogger and former broadcaster Jay Sonza fell victim to an old stunt where an arrest was staged on a weekend or holiday, forcing him to stay in jail. The warrant incorrectly cited a non-bailable crime involving guns instead of the correct charge of using publication for unlawful utterances in relation to cyber-libel. This could be a clerical mistake or deliberate harassment against Sonza.
