OPPOSITION leaders Atan Guardo and Lahug Barangay Capt. Mary Ann de los Santos dubbed the tearing down by the City Government of the basketball boards they donated as “basketball terrorism.”

It may be an overstatement but it aptly depicts the desperate actions of the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s party.

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Businessman and opposition leader Guardo donated those basketball boards to the different city barangays a long time ago. The recipient barangays were those that had been practically deprived of sport facilities.

Are BOPK leaders scared of Guardo? If they are not, then they could have left those basketball boards there. Such blatant intimidation has no place in a civilized metropolis like Cebu City.

Worse, BOPK abused the authority of the City Government when it tore down the basketball boards just to send the message that Cebu City is its turf.

Guardo should be elated with and should not be dismayed by “basketball terrorism” as this indicates that he is stronger than his opponent. BOPK is blinded by envy and does not realize that what it is doing only increased Guardo’s popularity.

Instead of tearing down basketball boards and replacing them with those bearing the name of Vice Mayor Mike Rama and City Hall consultant Joy Young, the City Government should have installed these in other barangays that are in need of basketball courts.

I wonder what the opinion of my good friend, Assistant Deputy Ombudsman Virgie Santiago, on the use of pubic funds to put up the basketball boards and the highhanded manner that BOPK or Cebu City tore them down.

The removal of those basketball boards and their replacement with those supplied by BOPK may not be a criminal offense but it certainly is immoral and amounts to conduct unbecoming of public officials.

Mayor Tomas is a smart man. Being on leave, he could not be charged for the removal of those basketball boards. Acting Mayor Mike Rama, BOPK’s mayoral bet in next year’s poll, could instead face the possible dire consequences of the act.

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Acting Mayor Mike Rama seems to have failed to read the signs.

If Georgia, sister of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, will make good her plan to run for mayor in next year’s polls, then Mike must be concerned.

Reports that came out the other day said that Georgia’s slate would be composed of some bets from the BOPK and from the opposition. It would mean Georgia is running with the implicit support of BOPK.

Mike should be reminded of the adage that “blood is thicker than water.” At the end of the day, blood relationship and not “master-slave” bond, will count. A master has no affection for his slave.

Georgia’s candidacy for city mayor could jeopardize Mike’s mayoral plans. Georgia is an Osmeña and majority of Cebuanos in the city still live by the late Serging’s slogan, “Bisag Unsaon, Osmeña Lang Gihapon.”

While Mayor Tomas already endorsed Mike as BOPK’s bet for mayor with Joy Young as his running mate, that could change considering that the mayor sometimes does unpredictable things.

Mike, it’s about time to do some serious soul searching while the filing of the certificate of candidacy is still about a month away. You should know that even your party-mates are reluctant to support your candidacy.

(ele_freezone@yahoo.com)