Tomas fears SCR may end up as drug route

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the South Coastal Road might now be a "safe drug route" after it was opened.

"Right now, whether wittingly or unwittingly we have already established a safe drug route. I'm even afraid of conducting checkpoints. It's a drug route from the heart of the city to the south and vice versa. Thanks to the court," he quipped.

Regional Trial Court Branch 10 presiding judge Soliver Peras last Monday ordered the coastal road opened after being convinced by the arguments of plaintiff Alfredo Sipalay.

Osmeña also said if the courts wants to take over the management of the road he will let them have it.

"We're placing it in the hands of the court now. If they want to take over, let them take over from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. They'll run it," he said as he disagreed with Vice Mayor Michael Rama that the City Traffic Operations Management should put up traffic signs in the area to prevent accidents.

Osmeña reiterated the city will only take care of its assets, which is the 295-hectare property at the SRP.

Further, Osmeña hit plaintiff-intervenor Gloria Dalawampu who said that Osmeña was either ill advised by the city's lawyers or he did not listen to them when he ordered the closure of the road last April 8. The city is being represented by lawyers Rodolfo Golez and Joseph Bernaldez in the said civil case.

"I'm glad she said that. That means she's unhappy because whatever your enemy advises, you look at the other side. The more I'm encouraged to keep them," he said.

"That's why they want us to change the lawyer so we'll start from scratch. But we're on pretty good solid ground," Osmeña said.

After getting a copy of the order, Osmeña filed a motion for reconsideration stating that "no preliminary injunction shall be granted without hearing and prior notice to the party or person sought to be enjoined."

But Sipalay, in his opposition to the defendants' motion for reconsideration, said the court already provided "more than sufficient opportunity" for them to be heard. They were even given opportunity to file a memorandum to support their opposition before the case was submitted for resolution, but he said they failed to do so.

Sipalay also said the defendants could have also "best substantiated" their position on the case had they presented Osmeña.

The prosecution, as requested by Dalawampu, was supposed to present Osmeña, but on the day of the hearing, his lawyers told the court he was attending a funeral.

Osmeña said in a news conference yesterday afternoon he will challenge whatever the court says that is "not in favor to the city government."

He said they just have to go through the litigation process despite the court depriving them of hearings before the issuance of the writ of preliminary injunction.

"The judge has been very unpredictable in his manner of doing things. Imagine, on October 17 the court issued an order and changed it to writ of execution on the 18th," he said.

Just a few hours after the coastal road was reopened, the Cebu City government already received reports that squatters from neighboring city, Talisay have started putting up shanties under the second bridge of the SRP.

Supt. Paul Labra of Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Branch of the Cebu City police said they demolished five shanties yesterday afternoon in compliance with the mayor's order for the group to take care of the facilities at the SRP. - Cristina C. Birondo and Liv G. Campo