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Thursday, June 09, 2005
Espinoza: Kindness not in Tom’s vocabulary
By Elias L. Espinoza
HALLMARK. Remember the old adage: “Be kind to your neighbors”? No, the virtue of kindness is not in the vocabulary of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña. Vindictiveness is. It will be uncharacteristic of Osmeña if he appears cordial, much less apologetic, to his foes, particularly to Talisay City officials.
In fact, he did not spare Talisay residents of his wrath.
In a meeting with barangay captains at a posh resort in San Remegio, Osmeña said he “will bring Talisay to bankruptcy.” Of course, it was mere rhetoric.
“If you fight Cebu City, we will fight back until you bleed to death. We will demolish you.” That was Osmeña’s statement addressed to Talisay City officials who claim ownership of a portion of the South Reclamation Project (SRP).
Osmeña may or may not make good his threat, but the fact remains that his words, sharp as a scalpel, have sent shivers down the spines of Talisay City officials and residents.
Talisay City can denounce to high heavens the threats raised by Osmeña or the closure of South Coastal Road, but only the issuance of SRP titles can change the mayor’s stance.
If the mayor’s purpose for closing the South Coastal Road is to ensure the safety of motorists, then why is he giving car passes to other road users?
Did you know that Talisay City residents who applied for car passes were made to pass through the office of Cebu City Councilor Gabriel Leyson before their applications got the mayor’s approval?
This procedure is giving Talisay residents a strong hint that Leyson is indeed considering the idea of running for Talisay mayor in 2007.
In fact, Osmeña told reporters that he would not push through with his plan to go to court and question Talisay’s cityhood if Leyson wins the mayoralty race and his sister Minnie gets elected as first district representative. Well, that’s Cebu politics. At the end of the day, Rep. Eduardo Gullas gets the flak.
CARRY ON. For the second time in a row, a lawyer from Cebu City was elected governor for Eastern Visayas of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP). Former Cebu City councilor Maning Legaspi was elected governor after Manuel Monzon. Congratulations!
Legaspi was a former president of IBP Cebu City chapter. He was elected by majority of the voting delegates from different IBP chapters in Eastern Visayas last Saturday.
The election was held here in Cebu City since Monzon was the former president of the IBP Cebu chapter.
However, outgoing members of the IBP Board of Governors, headed by national president Anselmo Cadiz Jr., are not spared from the internal conflict regarding the withdrawal of a petition questioning the constitutionality of Republic Act 9227.
This law authorizes the Supreme Court (SC) to collect additional court fees as a means to increase the emoluments of judges and court employees. After filing the petition, the IBP officers marched to Congress, but the move ended with nothing.
I learned that IBP Executive Vice President Leonard de Veyra, who will succeed Cadiz, was unseated because there was a headstrong stance not to withdraw the petition.
To give legal basis for his unceremonial exit from the board, De Veyra was reportedly charged with disbarment for alleged malpractice. I wish it were not true.
I wish Legaspi could carry on the torch left behind by the outgoing members of IBP Board of Governors whose terms end on June 30. I wish the constitutionality issue of RA 9227, as well as RA 9279, would be resolved.
(June 9, 2005 issue)
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