‘I’m neither sick nor dying:’ Tomas to Atan

FOR Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, political opponent Jonathan Guardo is “too presumptuous” and thinks Cebuanos are “bogo” (stupid) by making promises he’ll be in “no position to fulfill” if elected into office.

Osmeña also said he is neither sick nor dying, in contrast to “what the opposition is praying for.”

“It is unfortunate that they will stoop so low and they are so desperate they are already “yabag” (crazy) in what they are saying,” he said in response to Guardo’s taunt that the mayor always brings along doctors during party gatherings.

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Guardo, for his part, said there are persistent rumors about the mayor’s “deteriorating health” because a doctor and a nurse are reportedly always with him during political gatherings.

“Rumors are swirling about his deteriorating health because it’s only Margot who’s doing the handshaking. His absence has raised eyebrows; plus the fact that he brings along a doctor and a nurse in his “pulong-pulong.” We don’t want our congressman to go to Congress escorted by a nurse and a doctor. Susmaryosep!” he said in a text message to Sun.Star Cebu.

The mayor told reporters yesterday that Guardo has made promises he will have no power to implement if elected as south district representative.

“They’re so presumptuous. For example, Guardo says ‘when I’m elected I will not drive away sidewalk vendors.’ Since when does a congressman have the ability to drive away vendors? That’s not the job of the congressman, that’s the job of the mayor,” he said.

“Then he says, ‘I will give you P10,000 each with low interest.’ Where is the law that authorizes a congressman to lend money? There is none!” he added.

He said Guardo “thinks the Cebuanos are bogo” and believes he can get away with it.

Guardo said the amount was meant as seed money for residents to start their own small business.

“We need to create employment opportunities for everybody. People resort to sidewalk vending and being trisikad drivers because of the lack of opportunities. It’s the only way they know to support their families. We can’t blame them,” Guardo said.

“I’d like to help them start a small business through a microfinance program. I am even helping people now, how much more if I’m a public servant? There are a lot of creative ways to create employment opportunities for everyone,” he said.

In a related development, Osmeña yesterday said he will just let the basketball board Guardo donated be placed on a City Hall-owned goal in Barangay Buot-Taup.

The City’s basketball board was reportedly torn down last Friday by some of the residents who have an ongoing basketball tournament in that barangay.

Last week, Osmeña’s supporters and the City’s demolition team removed the basketball board donated by Guardo and replaced it with the new one.

But Buot-Taup Barangay Captain Richie Sibla said the youth in their barangay didn’t like the basketball board from the City, because it has a larger ring and is defective.

In a previous interview, Osmeña warned the City may sue Sibla, an ally of Guardo, if the barangay captain insists on using the donated board.

But when the mayor was told about the removal of the City’s basketball board, he said he will just let the donated board stay.

“Ayaw na lang, maluoy ta sa mga bata, sila man gud ang mahimong biktima sa ilang propaganda (Never mind, for the sake of the kids. They’ll end up paying for all the propaganda),” the mayor said. (With ETB)