Thursday, August 21, 2008 Espinoza: Osmeña siding with Radaza By Elias L. Espinoza Free Zone
THE Mandaue City police need to explain the release, without cases being filed, of the “bodyguard” of Mayor Jonas Cortes following the complaint for grave threats by dySS reporter Norman Mendoza.
Jonas Desuyo, Cortes’ namesake, reportedly carried two handguns and threatened Mendoza when he aided Maribeth Taruc, whom Desuyo allegedly mauled.
It’s amazing that Desuyo, armed with guns meant to be used to protect his boss, would beat a helpless woman who had quarreled with his girlfriend. What does he think of himself, John Rambo?
Mayor Cortes should get rid of him if he doesn’t want to be dragged into more controversies. The problem with some bodyguards is that they act as if they can get away with misbehavior just because policemen are under the administrative supervision of the mayor.
Police Regional Office 7 Director Ronald Roderos should look into the matter. The incident portrayed the police as inept. It also brought back memories of a past when the local police were still referred to as the mayor’s goons.
Meanwhile, Mayor Cortes evaded another issue, that of “job-order” employees. Instead of providing the City Council with a list of job-order employees, he came up with rhetoric. Is he hiding something?
All that Mayor Cortes should have done was order his personnel manager to provide the City Council with the list of job-order employees to end speculations of “ghost City Hall employees.”
Even more malicious was Mayor Cortes comparing his administration with the previous one. Cortes was councilor for two terms under the previous administration.
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It is not surprising that Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña would side with Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Boy Radaza on the issue of the Lapu-Lapu City reclamation project that the Regional Development Council chaired by Gov. Gwen Garcia stopped.
Osmeña was just true to the saying, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Although Mayor Tomas and Mayor Radaza are not the best of friends, the former may have viewed the latter as a lesser threat than Governor Gwen.
Expect Capitol’s barkers to react sharply. The running feud between Osmeña and the Garcias has provided our local dailies and radio commentators with issues to talk about.
But Mayor Tomas did raise a sensible point. He also showed that he is not worried that the Mactan North Reclamation and Development Project would compete with his South Road Properties.
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I can only commiserate with Talisay City Mayor Soc Fernandez for all the problems he has been dragged into because of troubles caused by his son Joavan.
As a father, he has moral obligations to his son and as a city mayor he has legal duties to fulfill for his constituents. Mayor Soc should, however, weigh which is paramount, his moral obligation or his statutory duty?
Here’s an unsolicited advice. Mayor Soc should leave his son’s brushes with the law to the police and the prosecutors. Let the law take its course, mayor.
Mayor Soc cannot separate his being a public official with his being Joavan’s father. Any attempt to defend his son will always be misunderstood and the police will inevitably be dragged into the picture.
If reports are true that Joavan is a drug dependent, then he should be sent to a rehabilitation center while things are still controllable.
Mayor Soc is an amiable person. It’s a pity, though, that he is carrying not only the burden of fulfilling his duty as city mayor but also the sins of his son. But that’s life, mayor!
