Guardo claim that city tried to prevent activity "shaky"

CEBU, Philippines - Congressional aspirant Jonathan “Atan” Guardo may not be able to prove his claim that the officials of barangay Calamba tried to prevent him from distributing food assistance to fire victims along A. Lopez St. last Saturday allegedly upon the orders of Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Cora Lim, Guardo’s political leader in barangay Calamba, admitted to The FREEMAN that it was not a barangay tanod who told her not to push through with the distribution but another person who claimed that he just heard the tanod utter the statement.

Osmeña yesterday said he is serious in his threat that the City of Cebu will file libel charges against Guardo, his political opponent in the congressional race in the city’s south district on the May 10 elections.

He was not happy after Guardo, through his official press relations officer sent text messages to reporters last Saturday informing them of the city’s effort to stop the food distribution.

“Heads up. Atan will distribute help to fire victims at A. Lopez, Calamba, at 10 a.m. today, Jan 9. But the barangay head upon orders of City Hall threatened to stop distribution,” the text message reads.

Lim said after she learned of the tanods warning through a friend she quickly informed Guardo’s personnel who were already in Calamba to make preparations for the food distribution.

“Mao kadto nga nagkaestorya g’yod mi si Guardo sa cellphone ug ako siya nga gipahibalo sa gitug-an kanako nga ang tanod miingon nga babagan nila ang food distribution,” Lim said.

Osmeña said he is already used to the lies of Guardo, but because this time Guardo is attacking the integrity of the city government he is already fed up and has decided to charge him with libel before the city prosecutor’s office.

Osmeña recalled that the opposition camp also accused him of stopping the scheduled medical mission in barangay Cogon-Pardo a few weeks ago when in fact he only told the members of the 51st Marines Reserve Battalion that he will resign as their commander if they will join the activity to be done at the barangay hall.

The mayor said it would be impossible for him to order the prevention of Guardo’s distribution because he only found out about the activity after reporters interviewed him while he was going to the mountain barangays for a pulong-pulong over the weekend.

Osmeña has already asked the city legal office to study whether they can file libel charges against Guardo, but Guardo said he is not afraid if Osmeña will pursue his threat to file libel charges against him.

Meanwhile, Osmeña has already requested the Commission on Elections yesterday to allow him to have two police escorts.

Unlike in the past, the lone security personnel who escorted the mayor yesterday was already in complete police uniform in compliance with the order of the Comelec that bodyguards of incumbent politicians should be in proper uniform. –Rene U. Borromeo/BRP   (FREEMAN NEWS)