Saturday, June 23, 2007 Nalzaro: Reactions to Tom-Gwen conflict By Bobby Nalzaro Saksi
MAYOR Tomas Osmeña’s ongoing verbal tussle with Gov. Gwen Garcia has produced varied reactions from the public. Some expressed concern, saying this sends a wrong signal to investors. Others doubt the exchange. Is the quarrel for real or are they just engaging in it to divert attention away from issues confronting their leadership?
Those who expressed concern are mostly from the business community. The conflict, they say, discourages investors who fear getting caught in the political crossfire.
Take Capitol’s partners in developing its Banilad property into a high-end subdivision. The investors probably never thought that the project will be halted. This after the Cebu City Government hastily passed an ordinance prohibiting development in the area unless the traffic congestion problem there is solved.
Political observers and ordinary people, meanwhile, suspect that the trading of insults by the governor and the mayor is meant to cover up their failings. If this suspicion is true, then the number one victim would be the media, although the public cannot also blame media people for blowing the quarrel out of proportion as they only served as messengers.
And why are people suspecting the mayor’s quarrel with the governor as but a zarzuela? Because what they have been making so far are mere utterances and not legal moves. Besides, it appears that their acts are calculated, even scripted, because they seem to know where the conflict is headed next.
In a real conflict, the protagonists go to court, more so because, in this particular case, the root cause is ownership of lots in Cebu City.
It has been almost a year since the governor floated the idea of recovering some prime lots under Ordinance 93-1. That was when a lot swap was suggested, although its implementation was aborted because of disagreements on the terms set by City Hall. But if the Province is bent on recovering these lots, why haven’t it initiated legal action? Is it still negotiating with the occupants?
And why has the Province not sued City Hall to force it to issue the necessary permits for the stalled Banilad project? Also, the 15-day deadline given by Capitol to City Hall for the takeover of Fuente Osmeña is about to expire. What will Capitol's move be after the deadline? Will force be used in the takeover or will it be done through legal means?
Meanwhile, the City is planning to shut down or to recommend the transfer of the Province-run south bus terminal because of the traffic problem in the area where it is located. Will Capitol defend its rights?
If this is a mere publicity gimmick, what is the motive? We can only surmise that it could be to divert attention away from issues confronting these officials’ leadership.
Is this Gwen’s way of avoiding public scrutiny on the alleged overpricing of the Cebu International Convention Center? Is Tomas merely trying to avoid the headache caused by the effort to dispose South Road Properties lots and the payment of the City's huge loan from the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation?
Pero morag dili siguro ni drama o duwa-duwa. Mora hinuon og binata.
