" SECRET," said with first syllable extended in a teasing tone, was a fad word that raged in the ‘80s. It has survived among graders, "colegialas," and showbiz celebs.
You ask for someone's plan or decision and he says naughtily: "seecret." Fun, if the information isn't something important on which you have to act. Annoying, if it is.
You ask Manny Pacquiao if he and this young hot starlet have a thing going and he says "secret." That's being coy but what the heck, none of your business.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña was asked how he'll vote on the law splitting Guadalupe into two, with Banawa-Englis as the new barangay, and his answer to reporters, "secret." That was a cop-out.
As father of the city and leader of BOPK (which, God and voters willing, might run the city for the next hundred years), Tomas must help his flock decide.
How does he see cutting up an obscenely fat Guadalupe into two decently thinner barangays? He favors under-sizing it, yet he won't say how he'll vote in the plebiscite.
But look again. While Tomas says he isn't talking about his vote, he's telling us already.
Reasons for 'no'
Speculators say he’ll vote "no" and may even campaign against "yes." Indicators: 1) once he'll be in the House, he'll file a bill dividing Guadalupe into three (not just two under the Tony Cuenco law); (2) he fears of old Guadalupehanons being "disoriented" by the split; (3) chief lieutenant Jingjing Faelnar already said he will campaign for "no."
It's not how Tomas will vote that matters. It's how he'll use BOPK strength in Guadalupe to defeat the law.
And that's no secret.
(paseares@yahoo.com)