Tomas striking back? Maybe not.

President Duterte cursed Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña: Duterte said he’d physically assault Osmea: “I said (that) once I see him, I would slap him... I will slap you.” And the president insulted the mayor: “A lot of hubris.,, He thinks he owns Cebu... as if Cebu were his personal property... He thinks he’s always right, will never make a mistake, incapable of being wrong...”

The Aug. 21 battering in Mandaue City, which Mayor Tomas said was stronger and heavier than a Manny Pacquiao pugilistic assault, was more than the usual naming-shaming from the No. 1 official of the land.

Duterte lumped Tomas with the three persons who must top Digong’s “hate” list: Antonio Trillanes IV, Elly Pamatong and Leila de Lima. Which disputes Tomas’s claimed intent, namely to “protect the Cebuanos.” Trillanes is a rabid partisan, Pamatong is allegedly unhinged, and de Lima is in jail for alleged drug trade.

The public dressing-down, spectacle of a bully being bullied, display of BMW-C (bad manners and wrong conduct): all that produced the current buzz in the entire Cebu -- and set off a number of questions. Sweet revenge

Duterte’s offensive could’ve been enough for Mayor Tomas to erupt and spew out his own stream of insults. His reputation rests, big-time, on being a badass to those who anger him. City Hall is replete with tales of persons insulted in their presence or badbouthed behind their back: mostly political rivals or those aligned with the mayor’s enemies.

The mayor would’ve a lot of ammo to fire back: Tomas hubris? Digong himself has a huge share of the arrogance that God parceled out on this earth. Tomas behaving like a despot? Digong sometimes talks and moves like one of the Asia strongmen on “Time” magazine cover. Wait, he’s one of them.

Tomas could’ve replied “look who’s calling the kettle black: a freaking pot.” He could’ve said he was elected by the people of Cebu City, presumably in honest elections, not just because he was Don Sergio’s grandson and Serging’s son. His gung-ho, Lone Ranger-Cebu pitch may just be to tell outsiders that he doesn’t want to burden the national government. And he could’ve said he’s not always right but even when he’s wrong, the one who’s right can’t do anything about it. Just like Digong.

Towel thrown?

The point being: it would’ve been in sync with his nature and character for Tomas to lash back. But he did not and is highly unlikely to do so.

His initial reaction--which recognized the sledgehammer that struck him and hoping that as a lawyer, Digong would look at both sides of the story--was meek, surely not Tomasian. If it were boxing, Tomas’s simile, Tomas has thrown in the towel.

Risk of return fire

Even if he wanted to, Tomas couldn’t risk angering the president further.

1. Digong could make his life annoying if not miserable even before the end of his term: The office of the President could suspend him, It could give life to the charge of coddling a drug lord and accepting narcotics money (just an unverified affidavit this time but could set off a full-blown inquiry). Digong could delay or freeze projects for Cebu City and use the powers of the national government to fetter the mayor: Tomas knows, he has done the same thing by going after rival Barug Team Rama since he was elected in 2016.

2. Digong could make Tomas’s fight for a fresh term next year much tougher. While the mayor may have the edge over Vice Mayor Edgar Labella, it’s not so thick the still-popular Digong couldn’t help whittle down. And Duterte, who has would-be senators to push in 2019, may not be awed by the vaunted Cebu vote, of which he has also a substantial share.

Voter’s dilemma

Which leads us to the dilemma of a pro-Duterte and pro-Osmena voter: if the voter would’ve to make a choice between Tomas and Digong, as the president reportedly would campaign for Barug-PDP Laban bet Edgar Labella, how much would it hurt the mayor seeking reelection?

As Tomas concedes, Digong unleashes rock punches and more devastating than Pacquiao’s fists can throw.

Unless Osmena is sure about winning despite Dutertes probable meddling in Cebu, the mayor might choose to lie low, lick his wounds and strike back.

sino ka.”

“P..ang ina mo. Akalang