Talisay City Mayor Johnny delos Reyes (right) with his son, John Yre, also the city administrator. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
Talisay City Administrator John Yre delos Reyes yesterday clarified that a plan to allow Cebu City’s trash to be dumped in the landfill in barangay Tapul, Talisay is not yet final.
While mayors of the two cities have agreed in principle to the plan, no contract has been signed to carry out the project, he said.
“The plan will not be directly implemented. It has to pass through the City Council to ensure transparency, proper planning and to ensure the general welfare,” he said.
Delos Reyes said he understands the City Council’s dispute with his father (Mayor Johnny delos Reyes), but is hopeful that their conflict will not affect the delivery of services to the people.
“Usahay mawala na ang wisdom, ang tinud-anay nga panerbisyo ug masagulan na ug politika (Sometimes, wisdom and true public service disappear when it gets mixed up with politics),” he said.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama also clarified statements attributed to him making a verbal threat to close down the South Coastal Road as a way of pressuring the Talisay City Council to stop opposing his agreement with Mayor Delos Reyes about the use of Talisay’s landfill.
Rama said his statement about the possible closure of the South Coastal Road (SCR) was not meant to “hostage” residents of Talisay City, but to clamp down on motorists who violate the 40kph speed limit.
“Ayaw na apila ang SRP. Ang atong gi buhat ana is for public safety. That is in exercise of the police powers of the mayor to promote public safety and security,” he said.
He said the Cebu City government once resorted to the closure of the South Coastal Road when then mayor Tomas Osmeña was hostile to Talisay City mayor Eduardo Gullas over Gullas’ claim of ownership by Talisay of portions of land at the South Road Properties.
The road closure was questioned in court in 2008. Osmeña was vindicated in a later judgment that affirmed the SRP belonged to the City of Cebu. Rama said the possibility of a road closure and the trash disposal plan were different issues.
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