Byron eyes offering Osmeña "free college education"

CEBU, Philippines - Capitol consultant on security affairs Byron Garcia yesterday said he would formally request from his sister, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, that he be appointed as school administrator of the proposed provincial college so he could offer to a critic free college education.

“I told my sister Gwen that if the school will be erected there in Naga, then let me be the administrator. I have only one mission: I will afford to Mayor Osmeña free college education, free tuition. Everything is free,” Byron said during a press conference.

He lambasted Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña for reportedly poking fun at the proposed Cebu Government World-class Education Novelty College in Naga.

A three-hectare lot in barangay Inayagan, Naga used as a sweet potato plantation by the Province is being considered as the campus site of the planned Cebu GWEN College.

“With that, the school would be able to provide diplomas to its critic,” Byron said referring to Osmeña who reportedly laughed at the thought of building an academic institution on a 25-hectare lot which is rumored to be partly a “submerged property”.

Byron had earlier questioned the mayor’s credentials and even dared Osmeña to present his scholastic records as he doubted the mayor’s agri-business degree at Xavier University (or the Ateneo de Cagayan) in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental; saying he obtained information that there were only two students who graduated in the said course.

“Before ka manaway sa among proposed school, ipakita una imong college diploma,” Byron challenged.

Lawyer Rory Jon Sepulveda, Capitol consultant on information, reiterated that the proposed college is still under study. He said that the mayor should not allow himself to be involved in the issue since “it might explode on his face.”

The Provincial Board already asked the provincial legal office to “verify and assay” persistent talks that a portion of the property is submerged and that it cannot be titled since the land is a public domain.

“The 25-hectare property is comprised of about 12 certificates of titles,” Sepulveda said as he admitted that “rumor” reached the provincial government that a portion of the property is submerged in water.

As a policy of the Office of the Governor, Sepulveda said they refused to dignify it since it was just a rumor.

He added that he had written the Balili heirs to confirm whether or not lot titles which the Capitol bought are indeed defective after the rumor surfaced. — Garry B. Lao/MEEV   (THE FREEMAN)