Rama to Osmeña: ‘Leave us alone’

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has asked former mayor Tomas Osmeña to give his administration a chance to operate since he has the mandate from the people.

The appeal was made following Osmeña’s criticism after the City Council voted to pass a resolution authorizing the mayor to sell and dispose of lots at the South Road Properties through public bidding.

“I won and got re-elected, and that should belong under the management of this administration because we all represent the people,” Rama said.

Rama said that the revenues that will be generated in selling lots will always be for the people. He said that Osmeña should wait until 2016 elections if the latter is still interested to run for mayoral position.

“We won. Defeat is to be accepted. Waiting is a virtue, but quarrelling is a sin,” Rama said.

Meanwhile, Joey Daluz III, executive assistant to the mayor, refuted Osmeña’s claim that the resolution giving authority to the mayor does not supersede the ordinance which allows unsolicited proposal as mode of disposal.

Osmeña said that the resolution passed by the council cannot amend an ordinance that encourages unsolicited proposals under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) law, specifically Section 2 of City Ordinance 2332 entitled “An Ordinance Protecting the South Road Properties and its Stakeholders from Unlawful and Unauthorized Transactions and Dealings”.

Daluz, a lawyer, said that the resolution is compliant with the city ordinance.

“We are complying with the ordinance… negotiation must have the prior approval of the city council, mao nani,” he said.

Last August 11, 2014, the then Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan-dominated council approved the resolution authorizing Rama to negotiate and dispose of Lot No. 8 (located near the Pedro Calungsod templete) and consolidated lots No. 7 and No. 17 (located beside SM Seaside) through a public bidding.

Lot No. 8 has a total land area of 26 hectares while consolidated lots No. 7 and No. 17 have a total of 19.2 hectares.

Daluz said that he was happy that some BOPK councilors approved the resolution, adding that they have now independent minds.

“Sa akong mga kauban sauna nga konsehal (BOPK) there was party pressure. They want to sell SRP, but they want unsolicited proposal,” he said.

Former BOPK councilors who voted for the resolution were Councilors Gerardo Carillo, Noel Eleuterio Wenceslao, Roberto Cabarrubias, and Richard Osmeña.

The four have already declared independence from BOPK starting today.— (FREEMAN)