A CEBU City councilor is asking the Visayas Ombudsman to investigate Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and City Treasurer Tessie Camarillo for corrupt practices for the alleged illegal operation of the V-hire terminal in Barangay Kamagayan.
Councilor Alvin Raymond Garcia filed the complaint yesterday where he cited the opening of the terminal last September 2016 without securing the mandatory Certificate of Accreditation from the City Council.
Garcia in his complaint said that the V-hire terminal operated through the express approval of Osmeña.
Operating the terminal without the accreditation mandated by Ordinance No. 1958 was a “bold, arrogant, unlawful and malicious” defiance of provisions of the ordinance, the complaint stated.
Garcia further alleged that legal provisions have been ignored by Osmeña, which included the 2,000-sq.m space requirement for a terminal. The area in Kasambagan is only 400 sq.m.
Garcia cited that despite the experimental nature of the V-hire terminal, “the unknown or unnamed operator” of the V-hire terminal collects a terminal fee of P175 per van per entry.
“Part of the terminal fee collected goes to the Cebu City government and the other part goes to the unknown or unnamed terminal operator. As to how much of the amount of terminal fee collected actually goes to the Cebu City government remains a mystery,” read the complaint, which was filed last March 22.
When sought for comment, Osmeña said he welcomed the filing of the complaint and that anyone can file a complaint.
“But in the process, I am really applying what is good for the public welfare. There has to be continuity in providing service for the Cebuanos,” he said.
Osmeña said when the city started collecting P300,000 a month for the fees, he thought it was a step in the right direction.
He said it is also in the best interest to make transportation easier for those people who are not living here in the city.
Osmeña said though that the opening of the terminal is still under evaluation.