INSTEAD of picking on their sports program and removing their basketball boards, another barangay captain allied with the opposition asked Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to fix more urgent problems in the south district.

It’s Cogon Pardo Barangay Captain Eugenio “Jun” Gabuya complaining this time, after Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) allies tore down the boards in Sitio Mansanitas in his barangay last Sunday night.

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Gabuya said that Osmeña’s camp removed the boards from the barangay’s basketball post after the mayor held a pulong-pulong in the barangay, and did not bother replacing it that night.

His staff installed the boards again yesterday, only to be removed immediately, allegedly by the mayor’s allies from nearby Barangay Inayawan. This time, the boards were replaced with City Hall’s boards.

Gabuya said he does not mind if City Hall wants to install its boards, but the courtesy of informing the barangay officials should be observed so they can identify the areas where the boards are needed.

The barangay installed the boards four months ago using goals donated by City Hall to the barangay in 1995 yet. It stands on a private property.

“They should not concentrate on the boards because there are bigger and more urgent problems in our barangay, such as the drainage at the boundary of Cogon Pardo and Basak Pardo,” Gabuya said.

He said that the owner of the lot where the goal stands feared getting caught in the crossfire among complaining residents, the barangay officials and the mayor’s allies, and decided to fence off the property.

When sought for comment yesterday, Osmeña said he does not know who tore down the boards, but Gabuya should first secure billboard permits before putting up their own boards.

“I don’t even know who actually did it but I am just defending the action. If Gabuya or his barangay owns the goal, I will tolerate it but if it is owned by the City or personally donated by me, then it should be discarded,” he said.

Earlier, the mayor said the City will tear down basketball boards of the opposition if these were installed on City-owned goals, or if the boards he personally donated were removed so they can be replaced with those bearing the names of personalities from the opposition.(LCR)