Wednesday, October 18, 2006 Editorials: Gwen, Tomas can avert brawl
There's a difference between power and authority.
Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, English politician and writer better known in his time (1694-1773) as Lord Chesterfield, made this distinction to a friend at lunch:
"If a rhinoceros were to enter this restaurant now, there is no denying he would have great power here. But I should be the first to rise and assure him he had no authority whatsoever."
Both Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia and Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña have power but who has authority to name directors of Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD)?
The city mayor has been naming directors to MCWD since one remembers. One time, then governor Pablo Garcia asserted the governor's authority, citing the same law, PD No. 198 or Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973, that his daughter now uses as basis for her claim.
Can daughter get what father did not? Can she fill the two seats that become vacant before yearend?
Not surprisingly, Mayor Osmeña is unwilling to give it up. He is open to naming some directors from outside the city but not to yielding control over MCWD posts.
Collision course
Tomas and Gwen seem to be on collision course but they need not crash into and maim each other and hurt Cebu's welfare as well.
So far, Tomas has held punches with Gwen. He has not been as brusque and unkind with the governor as he has been with Rep. Eduardo Gullas, Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano, or the Ayalas, not to mention lesser mortals who suffered from the lash of his tongue.
Perhaps because there are things he needs badly from Capitol, such as the land-swap deal, which threatens thousands of city voters he needs in the next elections.
Or because he knows Capitol can prosper without kissing his ass and she at her best can be as acerbic and bitchy as he at his worst.
Keeping the peace
There are ways to resolve the issue with no bruising public brawl.
Since they both lead local governments, they can submit their dispute to the Department of Interior and Local Government or the Palace, agencies tasked to oversee LGUs, or the Department of Justice.
Or Tomas and Gwen can settle the issue in court but without the verbal skirmishes off court, which wound and divide more than the litigation.
Cebu has seen Cebu City Hall and Cebu Capitol coexist, even work together, for years now. Let not the MCWD issue disrupt it.
