Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella presides over the City Council session on Tuesday. (CDN PHOTO/JOSE SANTINO S. BUNACHITA)
The proposed 93-1 land swap deal between the Cebu City and Cebu Provincial government has been referred to the adhoc committee created to decide on the issue.
This after eight councilors and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella voted in favor of its referral to the committee on Tuesday afternoon during the regular City Council session.
During the session, Councilor Jose Daluz III wants the proposed 93-1 landswap deal to be referred first to the adhoc committee.
Daluz, who is part of the adhoc committee, assured that a report will be rendered by the committee in one week.
But Councilor Hanz Abella objected, which resulted to a voting.
The 16 councilors voted equally, 8-8, prompting Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, the presiding officer, to break the tie.
He voted in favor of the referral to the adhoc committee.
The adhoc committee is expected to present their report during the next council session on December 20, Tuesday.
The adhoc committee is composed of the chairpersons of the committees on housing (Daluz), laws (Raymond Garcia), budget (Jocelyn Pesquera), infrastructure (Jerry Guardo) and barangay affairs (Philip Zafra).
On December 7, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the 93-1 land swap deal with Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III in front of members of the urban poor groups in Cebu.
Osmeña, in his speech, said the fight is not over yet as the city council will still have to decide on the issue.
He went on to assure the urban poor groups that should councilors under Team Rama will try to reject the deal, he will call for a special election.
Under the MOA, the city will give a portion if the Block 27, the city’s Septage Treatment Plant, a 2.5-hectare lot in the South Road Properties and the city-owned property in Barangay Pulpogan in Consolacion town in exchange for the province-owned lots located in 11 different barangays in the city.
The province will also give to the city a 1.5-hectare located in the Department of Agriculture compound in Barangay Guadalupe, a portion of the province’s property in Barangay Lahug and another property in Barangay Capitol Site.