Mayor Tom asks Jing-jing to take leave from CITOM

Mayor Tomas Osmeña has asked his cousin, Rogelio "Jing-Jing" Osmeña to temporarily leave his post as vice chairman of the City Traffic Operations Management board to erase doubts that the latter has personal interest in the Capitol's "Ciudad" project in Banilad.

This after Jing-Jing, who also sits as regional director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, asked the CITOM planning division to hasten the traffic study on how the development of Ciudad can affect the traffic flow along Gov. Cuenco Avenue.

"I asked Jing-Jing Osmeña to go on leave until such time that the issue on Ciudad project is resolved so there would be no conflict of interest," the mayor said.

During a meeting last Wednesday, the CITOM board passed a resolution directing the CITOM planning division to conduct a study on the effect of the province's development project on traffic flow in the area.

Jing-Jing, who sits as presiding officer during CITOM board meetings, wants the traffic study to be completed within a week but some members of the board said the study may take some time because there are many things to be considered.

The City Council earlier passed a resolution requesting the City Planning and Development Office to impose a moratorium on the planned development of Ciudad and other projects in Banilad pending a traffic impact study.

Mayor Osmeña, who sits as chairman of the CITOM board, yesterday told reporters that he does not want the recommendation of Jing-Jing to be misconstrued by some that he has personal interest in the Ciudad project.

Tomas explained that the "local representatives" of the Ciudad project, the Dino family, are connected with Jing-Jing's family, particularly Allan Dino who is married to one of the daughters of Jing-Jing's elder brother Renato Osmeña.

"I did not appreciate his comment when he said that 'finish that study in a week'," he added.

While Jing-Jing is on leave, the mayor said councilor Raul Alcoseba, the chairman of the city's committee on traffic management, can preside over CITOM board meetings.

Tomas said that he discussed the thing with Jing-Jing already, who took his suggestion openly. - Wenna A. Berondo/BRP