Despite governor's intervention: CPA is under me - Rama

CEBU, Philippines — Despite Cebu Provincial Governor Gwen Garcia backing the Cebu Port Authority (CPA), Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday insisted that he has authority over the agency and that there is no other government that it is under.

“It is very academic. And it if is an academic issue, it is an elementary matter, we don't have to discuss it in secondary much less in college because for me the Constitution is very clear,” he said, in his online program Ingna’ng Mayor.

Rama is referring to the argument highlighted under Republic Act (RA) 7621, which states that he CPA is an autonomous regional port body, and under the National Building Code or Presidential Decree (PD) 1096, which states that a building official’s legal authority is only under its territorial jurisdiction.

According to him, it wasn't written in the book of his grandfather, the late Vicente Rama, that the Aduana wharf or the pier is under the jurisdiction of another Local Government Unit (LGU).

On the argument written under RA 7621 that the CPA has its own autonomy, Rama also said that the justification is unconstitutional and "illegal".

"It is also immoral for anyone to claim. Mao ng moingon dayon ko nga di na siya pwede nga bastabasta ing-ana lang ang utok nato. Kay naa diay silay laing gobiyerno dira? Ug naay mga public safety issues, kaya diay nila? Naa diay silay capacity to address?" the mayor said.

Rama also said that there is no coastal area that is not being handled by a certain city government.

"It cannot be. It goes with logic and very essence of autonomy. And most of all, atong siyudad is a very highly urbanized area," he said.

On the statement of Garcia that she has to intervene since the CPA is not within the jurisdiction of the LGU of Cebu City, Rama refused to comment, saying that the argument does not have a foundation.

In a press conference last Monday, Garcia said the Cebu City Government’s decision to forcibly enter CPA’s premises last April 1 should not be tolerated.

Rama, however, added he cannot argue on such matters that accordingly has an “airtight foundation that he is anchoring upon”.

He assured that what is happening will not hurt the economy of the city.

"Why will it be when the city of Cebu, we are talking about a highly-urbanized city, we have everything in us," he said.

As to the resumption of construction by the CPA despite it having been issued with a stoppage order, Rama said the agency should anticipate that they have their next move.

“Ang yuta, di nato na angkunon. Nganong mangangkon man ta dinha, labi na ang tubig?  Di nato angkunon, ma-gobernador, di ta mangangkon.... We will fight in behalf of the people of the Philippines, including Cebu City,” said Rama. — (FREEMAN)