If ordered by Comelec: Tomas to remove taunt signages at SRP

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Tomas R. Osmeña promised to remove the reflectorized signages installed at the South Coastal Road taunting the provincial government of its underwater property in Naga City as soon as he receives an order from the Commission on Elections.

The mayor said he is willing to comply if the Comelec issues an order against it. At least three billboards have been installed along the gateway to the South Road Property where motorists heading towards the southern Cebu pass by.

The first signage is emblazoned with the words “This way to the S.U.P.” or the South Underwater Property. Two more billboards were installed 50 meters apart from each other. The two other billboards were inscribed “Your Provincial Taxes at Work” and “A Proud Blunder of Gov. Gwen Garcia. I’m Sorry.”

The billboards were apparently meant to tease the governor for her controversial purchase of the P98 million Balili property in Naga City. The transaction is subject of an on going investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas after it was found out that a big portion of the property is underwater and planted with mangroves.

While he expressed willingness to remove the billboards if the Comelec orders him, Osmeña said this will not also preclude him from questioning it.

 “Why single me out. There are a lot of signages out there,” Osmeña said.

Garcia has questioned the installation of the billboards before the Comelec. She was asking the poll body to order its removal citing violations of the election laws.

 The word “I’m sorry” that is part of the words printed in the billboards is referring to the governor’s statement when she apologized to the public after she learned that the province had really bought a multi-million underwater property in Naga two years ago.

The mayor said he is just telling the fact because it cannot be denied that it was the Province of Cebu that purchased the underwater property out of the people’s taxes and that Garcia had apologized for it.

Osmeña said no word in the controversial signages that urged the voters to vote for or against certain candidates. The mayor said that it was just giving information to the public that they are heading to the underwater properties situated 19 kilometers away.

Last year the mayor also installed signages at the SRP advising the motorists entering the 295-hectares of reclaimed lands to “Please Dim Your Lights. This is Not the Province,” suggesting that province is dark.

Garcia and Osmeña are at odds after the land swapping deal between the city and the province failed three years ago. — Rene U. Borromeo with report from Joanna Eborda/FPL (THE FREEMAN)