Due to issue involving son, Tomas may resign, not go on leave

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he is more likely to resign from his post rather that go on indefinite leave to pave the way for an impartial investigation into allegations that his son, Miguel, harassed a young woman.

The mayor, who arrived from the United States yesterday, said that by resigning from his post, he does not only eliminate the allegations of bias in the probe, but will also have more time to do other things that would be important to the city.

In a press conference at the VIP Lounge of the Mactan Cebu International Airport shortly after his plane from Hong Kong landed, he said that he is on sick leave until the end of September.

Miguel has been accused of harassment by Samantha Elise Diores Benitez, a friend of the girlfriend of the former.

The mayor’s son reportedly got angry at Benitez for failing to stop his girlfriend from drinking too much alcohol at a bar near their school.

Mayor Osmeña explained that if he would resign, it would do more good than just go on indefinite leave.

“My original analysis was that I had to resign by November anyway, it’s always like that before. You file by November so you will also resign by November. I was mentally prepared to resign by November. It is better to resign than to go on leave, what’s the difference,” the mayor said.

He said if he will resign as mayor there will be non government organizations that will benefit from it.

“You see the thing is, if I resign then it can help CIPC (Cebu Investment Promotion Center), they are running out of money, they have a very important role to play in selling the SRP (South Road Properties) as there are ongoing negotiations,” Osmeña said.

Another NGO to benefit is Cebu City First Lady Margot Osmeña’s Cebu City Task Force on Street Children (CCTFSC), which according to the mayor is also running out of money.

Osmeña was referring to the order of the Commission on Audit (COA) released in 2008 banning local governments from appropriating financial assistance to NGOs and foundations that have elected officials or their relatives sitting as officers.

The mayor is the founding chairman of CIPC, the marketing arm of the SRP and the CCTFSC is headed by his wife.

Due to the COA order, the annual financial aid to these organizations had to stop while City Hall is still working out how it can continue to do so.

“If I want to go on extended leave, might as well resign na lang, I’m just thinking a loud, I wouldn’t consider that a plan, I’m just evaluating,” Osmeña said.

On whether he will pursue with the survey he mentioned among the women in the city for his planned resignation, the mayor said he will just have to make a few consultations.

“If I think the public perception is that I’ve lost, I am not to govern and I am not happy, why will I be a burden of the people? If the sentiment is that I should not be there, then there is no problem,” Osmeña said.

The Mayor reiterated his earlier statement that his priority is for Miguel to graduate this December from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) with honors.

He said Miguel is almost there and he prevented him from answering and being disturbed from the allegations much as he wanted to answer these back.

“I don’t want him to get into a running argument. He wants to answer all of that, but I told him we won’t get into that, because it will just get worse. Media will work, you open your mouth it is multiplied by 10 and then you answer 10 times,” Osmeña said.

The mayor said he has no plans of reaching out to the family of Benitez to talk things out.

“No plans, I should not plan anything, what did I do? I’m just going to react that’s all,” Osmeña said.

On the other hand, the mayor said the city has no interest except for it to pay taxes over Bakak Restobar, which is currently facing closure for violating three provisions of the Omnibus Tax Ordinance — absence of Mayor’s or Business Permit, Special Permit to Sell Liquor and Dispensing Liquors to Minors.

Bakak Restobar was where the girlfriend of Miguel and her friends went drinking resulting to the quarrel. He said if the establishments don’t pay their taxes then City Hall shuts them down for 90 days. 

He however said that the issue of not having any permit to sell liquor, to me is the primary concern of the school. —/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)