CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Mayor Johnny de los Reyes yesterday offered to give P5,000 to whoever could give information on the person who besmirched the city’s Liberation Park in Barangay Poblacion.
“Mohatag ko’g reward kinsa ma’ng makatudlo sa naghugaw-hugaw sa atong national shrine. Di maayo ang gibuhat, kinsa man gani to siya,” said De los Reyes.
The mayor personally visited the Liberation Park yesterday after learning that its ramp’s walls were vandalized with writings, a few of which accusing him of being a useless mayor.
The writings, however, were erased when the ma-yor was at the area.
De los Reyes said he does not care if there are people who accuse him of things, saying what ticked him was the callousness of one individual to destroy the image of a national shrine.
The park was declared by the National Historical Institute as a national shrine in 2009. The vandals were placed at the back of NHI-issued marker and about 10 meters from the human-sized soldier statues which relive the historical landing of American and Filipino soldiers in the same area exactly 69 years ago this March 26.
The first-term mayor said he believes that whoever did it was sent by his detractors, who reportedly want him out of the City Hall.
“Kung unsa ilang gibuhat, mo-reflect man pud nas kaatbang kung unsa sila. Kinsa may laing manaot nako? Pero sagdi lang, ang mga tawo na lang ang mohukom,” he said.
De los Reyes said he will have closed-circuit television cameras installed in the Liberation Park to ensure security there especially that it is already attracting visitors from all over Cebu and even outside the province. He said guards will also be deployed in the area.
In 2009, at least P5 million was spent for the park’s rehabilitation which included the seven soldier statues, and each year after that, before the landing anniversary on March, the city spends at least P1 million on repaint and repair jobs. (FREEMAN)