EDITORIAL - Dangerous game

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has admitted ordering basketball boards erected by Atan Guardo torn down and had them replaced with his own boards. But the mayor said he only learned of the trick from Lahug barangay captain Mary Ann de los Santos, who did it to him first.

Not currently holding any position of power, Guardo is helpless in a situation like this. No tit for tat is forthcoming as he cannot have the boards of Osmeña torn down and put his own back up again.

So, Atan will just have to think of something else to promote his impending candidacy for congressman in the south district. But knowing his business acumen, many people expect him to come up with more innovations to endear himself to voters.

He has done it first by helping grieving families cope with burial necessities such as caskets and all-weather tents for use during wakes. He has also been providing communities with free use of buses for whatever activities that require transportation.

Guardo's real coup, however, was persuading former president Joseph Estrada, who has his own ambitions of a political comeback, to appear as an endorser of his real business, which is the sale of health tonics such as the popular Arthro.

Because Arthro supposedly helps arthritis sufferers, the ad featuring Estrada running briskly was a big winner. But Estrada is himself no less a winner. His running ad teases the public about his running again for office. He even overtakes a tricycle, a dig at you know who.

All of these may seem amusing to the public, if they are not to the parties concerned. But they also pose a potential for real danger. On their own, we do not believe Osmeña and Guardo will ever come to blows over basketball boards.

But as we have noticed all too often, passions run much higher among the supporters. Maybe the tearing down of Guardo's boards by Osmeña's people came as a surprise. But Guardo's supporters will be on their toes from now on. From now on, there will be no more surprises.

And that is why it is dangerous. Trouble can erupt anytime a similar trick is pulled. One cannot play the game according to his rules all the time. The sun shines for everybody and the tides will always shift. Everybody concerned should bear that in mind.