The discord between Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Land Transportation Office-Central Visayas (LTO-7) director Victor Caindec has escalated.
Responding to Caindec’s criticism over the traffic jam in Barangay Mambaling and the LTO-7 chief’s claim that he could do better and that the mayor should resign if he could solve the congestion, Osmeña responded by ordering the pull out of all city’s traffic enforcers in the area.
Osmeña this afternoon announced that the traffic enforcers from the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) deployed near the Mambaling Underpass along N. Bacalso Avenue will be withdrawn effective Monday, July 16.
“Effective Monday, LTO-7 is the sole traffic authority in the Mambaling area. CITOM (CCTO) is undermanned and spread too thin as it is; at least now we can focus on Ban-Tal and other parts of Cebu City,” he added.
The mayor said he would also ask Superitendent Royina Garma, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) chief, to supply Caindec with 40 policemen to assist the LTO.
“This is more help then CITOM’s ever had. Good luck!,” said the mayor.
The mayor preceeded his announcement by saying “challenge accepted,” referring to Caindec’s dare for him to resign should the latter get to solve the traffic congestion in N. Bacalso Avenue, where the P638-million underpass project is being constructed.
“Mr. Caindec, if you can fix the traffic in Mambaling, I will give you Banilad. Then Salinas. Then the rest of the City. At which point, you will finally be doing the job that LTO is supposed to do in the first place instead of letting the LGUs (local government units) make up your deficiencies,” said Osmeña.