Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella. (CDN Digital File)
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government will be studying the request of the Provincial Capitol for the return of the titles under the 93-1 land swap, which was signed in 2018 by the previous administration but will now be renegotiated by the two government units.
Mayor Edgardo Labella said he has not yet read the letter addressed to him by Provincial Governor Gwendolyn Garcia seeking the return of the lots originally owned by the province, which were swapped in the 2018 deal by then-mayor Tomas Osmeña and then-governor, now Vice Governor Hilario Davide III.
It can be recalled that this 2018 deal was flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA) for proceeding without their approval or permission. The Labella and Garcia administrations then decided to renegotiate the deal after they took over in July 2019.
In a letter to Labella, Governor Garcia requested the city government to return the Owner‘s Original Duplicate Certificates of Title (OODCT) of the covered lots.
Labella said once he received the letter he will immediately study the city’s response to such on whether there will be a return of the land titles, which inherently would mean rescinding the 2018 deed of donation or continue the negotiations without the return of the titles.
Yet the mayor assured that whatever decision the city will make, this will be in the best interest of the residents living in the disputed lots.
The fate of at least 5,000 residents living in 11 barangay of the province-owned lots is now in limbo since the renegotiation talks have started.
This time, the mayor assured them that there is no need to worry as the city government will find a win-win solution for the residents.
“I assure the 93-1 beneficiaries that their welfare has never been abandoned by us. We are working with the provincial government so that we can arrive at a win-win solution. Ato gyod ning paningkamutan nga masulbad ning 93-1,” said Labella.
The mayor also said the city government will study the appropriate actions to be taken for the governor’s request so that these will not hamper the renegotiation talks. /rcg