A CHANCE meeting between Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Sta. Fe Mayor Jose Esgana in a Cebu City hotel last Saturday turned ugly, with Esgana allegedly getting threatened by Osmeña.
The mayor from Bantayan Island accused the Cebu City mayor of threatening him when he greeted him at the coffee shop of the Cebu City Marriott Hotel lobby past 9 a.m.
Esgana said he was in a breakfast meeting when Osmeña arrived with businessman Alex Tan, the owner of Island Shipping Co., which operates the ferries that ply the Hagnaya-Sta. Fe route.
He said he approached Osmeña to shake his hand, but Tan suddenly pointed his finger at him and told Osmeña that he is the mayor of Sta. Fe.
“The mayor did not accept my handshake. Instead, he pointed at me and with a stern voice, he told me, ‘Ikaw ha, pagbantay-bantay ha (You watch out).’ I was happy to see him there, but why did he make that prejudicial comment? Why did he threaten me? Nakuyawan gyud ko kay kadako ana nyang tawo. Mayor gud na sa Cebu City unya kita mayor ra diri sa isla. Tungod sa nahitabo, mahadlok na ko muadto sa syudad (I felt scared because he’s a big person. He is the mayor of Cebu City while I’m just a mayor in the island. Because of that happened, I’m scared of going to the city,” Esgana said in a phone interview.
He said he immediately called his lawyer to ask for advice on what he should do.
“Threatening gyud iyang pagkasulti. Isog ug dako iyang tingog, mao to nga gadali-dali kog lakaw. Hadlok na ko sa akong kinabuhi, sa akong safety ug sa akong family. I spoke with my lawyer because if anything happens to me, who should be held responsible? Only those who threatened me (How he said it was really threatening. He spoke strongly and loudly, that’s why I left right away. I fear for my life, for my family’s safety),” Esgana said.
SunStar Cebu sought Osmeña’s comment on Esgana’s allegation, but he declined an interview and said that he would only give a statement to another newspaper.
Esgana said he was shocked by Osmeña’s behavior because he could not recall any previous encounter or differences with him. He said they were both allied with the Liberal Party and would greet each other during political events in the past.
As for Tan, Esgana said the businessman relayed threats against him through municipal workers assigned at the Sta. Fe port.
It was also Tan’s employees who filed a complaint against Esgana, which resulted in his suspension as mayor last year.
“I was suspended because of a complaint filed by his apprentice…and recently, he has threatened our staff, so maybe Mayor Osmeña’s behavior had something to do with what Tan told him. Tungod tingali kay nagpalaban si (Maybe he sough the help of) Alex Tan. But kami ni mayor, wala gyud mi diperensya (But I have no difference with the mayor),” said Esgana.
The mayor would not say yet if he will file a complaint against Osmeña. He said he is still waiting for further instructions from his lawyer.