Too early
President Duterte has once again “slammed” Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, according to the terminology used by this paper, the first time for something the latter was supposed to have said or done (it was not made absolutely clear what), the second time for personally springing three people (potential voters all) earlier arrested by the police.
From threatening to “tamparos” Osmeña to calling him “buang,” The FREEMAN was probably right about the “slam.” But this is not really about the terminology than about the consequence, or the desired effect of the slam. If you want to slam somebody, the probable assumption is that you want to incapacitate somebody.
Now, when you range a president vis a vis a mayor, the latter would seem too puny and local for the former, not worth the presidential attention and time. That the president actually did is probably for something just as local. Let it be said, therefore, that the slams had been proxy shots for Vice Mayor Edgar Labella, Duterte’s man in Cebu and Osmeña’s challenger in 2019.
There are two things most people would agree about Labella. One is that he poses a credible and formidable challenge to Osmeña. Two is that while he could win, it is not a sure thing so that Labella could use a little outside kick. And that, it seems, Duterte is only too willing to provide.
Hence the slams. And knowing the president, there could be more coming. And who is Labella to complain. But a little caveat though. Coming on too early has its dangers, especially on the matter of slamming, either for cause or just for the heck of it. It can either make people callous and immune to the slamming, or actually court sympathy to the slammed.
This is not to say Duterte should not slam Osmeña. If there is a reason to, why not? And it can be said with a certain degree of certainty that not a few people would actually not wish to intervene if Duterte just keeps going at it. All I am saying is that all this slamming this early does not make a win for Labella a certainty either.
And that is because going at it too early has been proven time and again to cost many an early bird the advantage they had sought to gain by jumping the gun. More importantly, slamming early is not laying the groundwork early. It is not in any way Bong Go early, which is marketing strategy.
Slamming is drama early, which can make people sit up but make them feel sleepy ahead of time. If Duterte wished to cripple Osmeña in favor of Labella, he has to time his initiatives well. Timing is everything. He cannot overlook his strategy. It is not his slams that are crucial but the ability of his audience to appreciate them when they come.
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