IF the congressional tussles in the two Cebu City districts promise to be colorful and deeply interesting, an old political coot is responsible for it.
It’s possible that we will witness the unraveling of the city’s long held political tradition and the start of a new one.
A headline in at least two dailies in the city zeroed in on the health of Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
This has blown up to unexpected proportions the fact that the grizzled political supremo of the city in the past generation and who is now seeking the congressional seat in the city’s south district, is actually ill.
Even his first cousin, former senator Sonny Osmeña, avers without batting an eyelash that he believes Tom is lying to Cebu City folks that he is still fit to serve the city now and as congressman for the south district after May 10.
The old coot said in a no-nonsense revelation that his wily cousin was in Singapore for a few days to undergo cancer therapy.
North, too
But it was not only the mayor who was the target of the former senator.
In the process, he sideswiped even his blood kin in the north district, where Rep. Raul del Mar’s daughter, Cutie, is perceived to be leading the pack of candidates for the House.
Raul, however, did not seem to mind the umbrage of cousin Sonny, knowing that his three terms in the north district have been unblemished.
That, of course is not really the point.
The fact that Sonny is throwing his support behind political novice Mary Ann de los Santos, is just as painful and insulting to Raul.
The hurt should be as painful, too, to Mayor Tom, what with the implied support of his cousin Sonny to his opponent Atan Guardo, who is said to be leading the race by a few comfortable points because of the health issue.
True service
What seems to be the deeper context that should be considered in this penultimate week of the current presidential campaign, however, is not really the inane, sometimes childish charges and even more childish repartees of the personalities involved in the political drama.
It is whether the politicians offering to serve are truly capable of rendering genuine quality services to their constituents, or merely teasing the people with promises.
It is one thing to be seriously intent to do something for the people and it is quite another thing to titillate them to accept vows of performance that eventually would not be realized.
Truly, politics is a game politicians play on the naïve, unsuspecting public who has no way of ascertaining the truth.
What we need are politicians who can stand on their word, their promises, and truly serve.