Ruiz sues Garcia over road safety

CEBU, Philippines — Just a week since being officially installed as mayor of Cebu City, Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia is facing a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas for his alleged continued disregard for the safety of the riding public and the Cebuanos in general in line with the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project’s link-to-port component.

The complaint dated October 11, 2024 and received by the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday had been filed by another mayoralty aspirant, former Customs Commissioner Yogi Ruiz.

Ruiz, in a Facebook post addressed to Mayor Garcia, said he is constrained to file a case against the latter due to the mayor’s “continued negligence regarding the safety of the Cebuanos.”

“Greetings of peace. It is with a sad heart that I wish to inform you that because of your continued disregard for the safety of the riding public and to the Cebuano in general. I am constrained to file a case against you in the office of the Ombudsman,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz added that this action needs to be taken “to avert accidents and possibly save lives”.

Aside from that, Ruiz said there is also a need to investigate if proper permits and clearances have been issued for this project.

“I filed this case in behalf of the business owners, stakeholders, and most of all for the Cebuano people who have been directly or indirectly affected in an adverse manner by this road demolition,” ended Ruiz.

Back in June of this year, then acting Mayor Garcia ordered the CBRT management to remove lamp posts recently erected along the stretch of Osmeña Boulevard.

Some lamp posts had been erected for some time, but the City Government’s attention was drawn to it when it went viral, especially after it gained mostly negative feedback from people online.

It was then found out that the six lampposts did not have any permit to be installed, as per the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) during the presentation of the Link to Port design before the City Council.

In line with this, Garcia then told Engr. Norvin Imbong, CBRT project manager, to spearhead the lamp posts’ removal.

In his complaint, Ruiz pointed out the continuing closure of at least two lanes of road along Osmeña Boulevard brought about by the installation by the Cebu BRT Project of lampposts on both sides of the road from P.del Rosario Street to Plaza Independencia, while also stressing that it had no permits before it was installed.

“Thereby posing as a threat to the lives and limbs of motorists and pedestrians using these roads on top of businesses in the area practically being blocked entry of clients or customers by the road closures.”

Ruiz said the lamp posts have since been removed "but the footings and other ground works and debris have been recklessly left on the center of the lanes for four months already."

The Link-to-Port component of the Cebu BRT project, Ruiz said, must have been stopped when the City Government had discovered that the Cebu BRT Project Management has not secured the proper permits and clearances for their activities.

“The presence of these road hazards even as of this writing clearly demonstrates the inaction and indifference of Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia on these disasters-waiting-to-happen and readily bares that all his pronouncements on the matter were mere lip service,"

Ruiz said Garcia could be liable for Grave Misconduct and Serious Neglect of Duty for his procrastinations and possibly of violations of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for giving undue advantage to the Cebu BRT Project Management.

With this, Ruiz is asking for an investigation and if found administratively liable for his actions and omissions, he said Garcia should face an appropriate penalty.

Garcia, in his complaint, is also praying for a preventive suspension against Mayor Garcia pursuant to Section 9,Rule III, of the Ombudsman Administrative Order No. 07, as amended by Administrative Order No. 17.

The Freeman tried to get Mayor Garcia’s side through the City’s PIO officer Ramil Ayuman, but is not yet available as of presstime.

This is the first known complaint filed against Garcia since assuming Mayor Mike Rama’s post after the latter was dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman for nepotism. — /ATO (FREEMAN)