Mayor Garcia rebuffs Osmeña for claim over prov'l gov't property
CEBU CITY – What politics?
Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia asked this as he hit back at former Mayor Tomas Osmeña who alleged that an issue involving a provincial government-owned property is being used for politics.
GARCIA (FB)
Osmeña’s allegations came after Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, aunt of Raymond, issued a memorandum giving residents of the province-owned 93-1 lot until March 7 to process their loan application with the Pag-IBIG Fund.
Failure to meet the deadline will deprive the occupants from availing of the program that will allow their continued stay on the controversial lot.
Osmeña criticized the governor's ultimatum, describing it as a scam.
The former mayor, who is running for vice mayor in the midterm elections, accused the governor of bluffing. He said the ultimatum was a ploy to force the affected residents to approach Raymond, a scenario that could be used to the mayor’s advantage for the coming elections.
Raymond denied Osmeña’s insinuations.
“March 7 has passed? The ultimatum was not lifted, so where’s the bluff there?” said Raymond, who is running for mayor against Osmeña’s ally, incumbent Councilor Nestor Archival.
Raymond said he has been helping affected residents since he was still a vice mayor and not only now that he is running for mayor.
He assured that the city government will help affected residents process their documentation such as tax declaration, approved subdivision plan, and zoning board resolution, among others.
“If they have some questions, concerns, or issues, I can raise that up to the governor because we have a good relationship with her. We see each other, we can talk, we see eye-to-eye,” said Raymond.
Though the city is willing to help, Raymond reminded residents that the lots where their houses are built will not be given to them for free.
“It’s not for free. At the end of the day, they will still have to pay for their property because if not, it will be the governor who will be answerable to the Commission on Audit,” said Raymond.
Raymond criticized Osmeña why the issue was not resolved during his several terms as mayor.
Osmeña was mayor when he and then Gov. Hilario Davide III signed an agreement for a land swap deal that involves that the 93-1 lot. The deal, however, was not implemented.
The 93-1 lot affects at least 5,000 residents in 11 barangays.