Tom uses borrowed Lincoln Navigator

City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is now using a Lincoln Navigator sports utility vehicle, the same four-wheeled vehicle that President Arroyo used during her visits here in Cebu.

Osmeña said the owner of the SUV, whose name he refused to disclose, is lending him the vehicle for an unrestricted period, "no charge at all, not even gasoline."

When the owner learned that he liked the vehicle, he was allowed to try it out and use it, the mayor said. A magnetic sticker bearing the seal of the City of Cebu is posted on the sides of the car.

The city, however, has no plans of purchasing the luxury SUV because its price is quite exorbitant.

"I can't afford it (either)," Osmeña said.

On the other hand, Esther Cubero, acting chief of the General Services Office, told The FREEMAN in a separate interview that the city can not possibly purchase the Lincoln Navigator because its price is more than what is allowed in the Government Procurement Reform Act for purchases of service vehicles, the ceiling price of which is set at P1.3 million.

Cubero said she was not aware that the mayor had borrowed a Lincoln Navigator but that she sees no problem with it because so far no one from the city's oil depot at the North Reclamation Area has said anything about the vehicle getting its fuel allocation from the city.

She said the mayor's fuel allocation, which is a maximum of 500 liters a month, still goes to the Nissan X-Trail SUV issued to the mayor.

She said personnel at the city oil depot only releases fuel allocation to vehicles that have been issued requisition issue vouchers, indicating therein the plate number of the city-owned vehicle. - Cristina C. Birondo