Cebu City’s ‘First Ladies’: Incumbent and ex in brief tiff in court

CEBU CITY — Bad blood long simmering between two of Cebu City’s "first ladies" finally boiled over in open court the other day, briefly disrupting a hearing of a case one of them filed against a supporter of the other.

A gesture with the finger by Ninette Garcia, wife of former mayor Alvin Garcia, beckoning Margot Osmeña, wife of incumbent Mayor Tomas Osmeña, to approach the bench drew a sharp retort from Margot not to gesture like that to her.

The brief confrontation was precipitated by confusion as to who Judge Mamerto Coliflores was referring to when he asked "the mayor’s wife" to approach the bench.

When Coliflores called out for "the mayor’s wife" to approach the bench, it was Ninette who stood up first and walked toward the judge.

But when it was clarified that it was Margot who the judge wanted to approach, Ninette turned and raised a finger in Margot’s direction and gestured for her to come.

Margot felt insulted by the gesture and snapped, "Don’t do that to me."

Coliflores had called Margot to the bench along with Jonah John Rodriguez, a supporter of the former mayor whom Margot sued for grave threats for allegedly sending her threatening and offensive text messages, to inquire about a complaint by Margot’s lawyer Sisinio Andales regarding Rodriguez’s behavior in court.

Andales complained to Coliflores that Rodriguez was allegedly making snide remarks at Margot. Rodriguez was seated beside Ninette, a short distance from where Margot was.

Andales said Rodriguez had twice approached Eva Codoy, a witness for Margot.

Coliflores subsequently warned Rodriguez that he would be cited for contempt for improper behavior in court.

After the "confrontation" between Margot and Ninette, Rodriguez then had a brief exchange of words with Elizabeth Locsin, a friend of Margot.

Locsin confronted Rodriguez, claiming she heard him making snide remarks at Margot while the hearing was going on. Locsin was seated in front of Rodriguez and Ninette.

No similar incidents between Margot and Ninette, who used to be the best of friends until politics drove a deep personal wedge between their husbands, marred the two previous hearings. — Freeman News Service