Thursday, September 28, 2006 Cuenco, Macias swap curses, threats, almost trade blows
SPARKS flew in yesterday’s meeting on the bills to create three more Cebu provinces.
Deputy House Speaker Raul del Mar had to prevent Reps. Emilio Macias Jr. of Oriental Negros and Antonio Cuenco of Cebu City from trading blows.
Macias heads the House committee on local government that met yesterday. Cuenco opposes the committee’s approval of the bills.
Macias was irked when Cuenco, after his move that the committee resolve the motion for reconsideration was shot down, told Macias, “Ug hari-hari kas inyo ayaw ug dad-a diri... Adtos inyo paghari, ayaw pagdiktador (If you’re used to having your way in your community, keep it there. Don’t be a dictator).”
Macias declared a recess and, apparently enraged, walked in Cuenco’s direction, saying, “Ah, yati ra.”
Macias had to pass by where del Mar and Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas were sitting. The two stopped him and asked him to stay calm, blocking his way to Cuenco. Macias said, “Yawa, if he thinks he’s Batman, I’m Superman.”
‘Arrogance’
Cuenco continued muttering things from his seat.
Rep. Clavel Martinez, author of the bill to create Cebu del Norte, stood up and joined the huddle, saying sternly, “Wa mo’y labot ani, you have nothing to do with the province. You’re not even voters of the province. Binabagay na lang ta, among babagan inyong bills (We will also block your bills).”
Del Mar and Gullas tried to pacify all of them, saying, “Dili lang pud ta ana (Let’s not stoop to that level).”
Macias said, “Hambogero man gud mo (You’re being arrogant).” Cuenco stood up and said, “We’ll vote on it, hadlok kag mapildi ka (Are you worried you’ll be outvoted)?”
After they were pacified, the meeting resumed.
The sponsor of another bill that was supposed to be tackled after that of Cebu immediately moved for postponement, seeing “the problem” at hand.
Cuenco moved to postpone discussion of the split-Cebu bills when majority of the committee members are present so they, “and not the chairman,” can decide for the committee.
‘Dos por dos’
But Martinez moved for adjournment, after Macias said he was tired.
Even when the meeting adjourned, the verbal tussle continued.
Cuenco, frustrated by what happened at the meeting, continued criticizing Macias for being “dictatorial” and for refusing to heed the call for a public hearing in Cebu. This led to another loud argument between the two, with Macias saying there’s no need for the hearing in Cebu.
“Mangadto mi og Cebu? Why, to find out the area? Yawa. Ipagawas na lang nang imong dos por dos diha (Why should we go to Cebu? You might us well bring out your wooden club here).”
Cuenco asked, “Why are you afraid to go to Cebu?” Macias said, “I’m not afraid to go to Cebu.”
Cuenco later explained that he earlier joked with Macias not to go to Cebu City “kay hikulatahan kas Colon. Hadlok diay siya pusposan sa Colon (He’s afraid he might get beaten up in Colon).”
The rest of the congressmen and spectators gathered around them, and del Mar had to push through the crowd to pull the two apart.
Going home
“Gipugngan nako, this is not a place for these things. Proper decorum man ta unya nag aso-aso na gyud. As deputy speaker, I can’t let them trade blows. That’s not done. We’re supposed to hold our temper, especially since this was still part of the meeting and we don’t tolerate disorderly behavior so it was incumbent upon me to prevent, or both of them will be guilty of disorderly behavior,” del Mar told reporters.
As presiding officer, Macias also kept referring to Cuenco “who sneers now,” or hint that Cuenco should not be interested because he is from Cebu City. Macias also referred to Rep. Simeon Kintanar, who has proposed to create Cebu del Sur, as the “correct representative of the province.”
Martinez and Cuenco also couldn’t resist trading barbs. Once, while Cuenco was talking, Martinez murmured something and shook her head, prompting Cuenco to say, “Don’t interrupt me, lady from Cebu.”
There was also a moment in the meeting when Martinez told Cuenco: “Mind your manners.”
After the meeting, Martinez said Cuenco was “overacting” especially since the media was around.
Right in the middle of the lengthy debate between Macias and del Mar, Davao del Sur Rep. Douglas Cagas asked, “Why is it that only you are talking here? What about us? Shall we just go home?” (JPM)
