Peace sought for DU30, Tom
FOLLOWING PUBLIC LAMBASTING
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma is hoping for reconciliation between President Rodrigo Duterte and Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña despite the strong words the president made against the mayor.
Palma said he respects the president but he believes there are words better not said in public.
“As a bishop, may mga butang nga dili ibungat sa publiko ba… I respect the president as president,” he said.
In his speech in Mandaue City last Thursday, Duterte lambasted Osmeña who reportedly told the national government to “leave Cebu alone” and allegedly accused the president of being a drug protector.
“Hoy Tomas! Dili na ni panahon sa Katsila, ha? Kanang style nimo nga mura ka'g si kinsa, taas kaayo ka manulti. Ingon pa ka nga ako protector ng shabu. Ingnan tika magkita ta, anak ka ng p*ta ayaw pagtuong kinsa (ka). Dili gani ta magkasinabot sa atong istorya tamparuson taka sa daghang tawo. Ayaw ko binuangi ana kay dili ko Cebuano nga imong daugdaugon,” Duterte said.
For Palma, communication is a tool to make society better and if there are words that must be said but are not palatable publicly, these should be left said in private so as not to bruise certain sensitivities.
“As a rule, di ba moingon kita, even ato communication should be community forming and community serving… kung dili unta makadala og kaayohan sa komunidad, ayaw nato gamiton ang public forum,” Palma said.
He said he will pray for the president and the country, as well as for reconciliation between Duterte and Osmeña.
“I pray for peace and reconciliation,” he said, because the society is better off if its leaders stay united and understanding of each other.
MEDIATION
Osmeña's ally, Cebu City North District Rep. Raul del Mar, said he will ask a common friend of the mayor and the president to mediate a possible reconciliation.
“I know somebody who can better arrange that meeting than me since he's a close friend of both President Duterte and Mayor Tom. I'll talk to him when he returns from his trip abroad a week from now,” Del Mar told The FREEMAN.
South District Rep. Rodrigo Abellanosa agrees that the mayor and the president should meet and talk to clarify matters.
He believes that “lies” have been fed to the president.
“Apparently, the president is misinformed and is fed with lies by some people around him who are opposed to Mayor Tommy. So if the president wishes to seek clarifications, I believe Mayor Tommy will be more than glad to meet him,” he said.
He believes, nevertheless, that Duterte's words will not affect the city or the implementation of nationally-funded projects here.
“So, we hope that very soon, for the good of the City of Cebu, Mayor Tommy can make the necessary clarifications to the president and the ones who are really fabricating the lies can be unmasked,” Abellanosa said.